A to Z: M is for Microfiber (And Minerals)

Apologies for the late post, guys. I went on a spontaneous road trip with my best friends yesterday. And let me tell you, getting out and about for the day was absolutely marvelous. I'll make up for it by reviewing two products today! That's right, two for the price of one!

Not that my posts cost you anything, but y'know...

First up is a dollar store find that has completely changed my skin. 

This little thing is about the size of my palm, made of microfiber, and is perfect as a facial scrubber. In fact, the packaging once said that was what it was for. 

Before using these microfiber scrubbies, I used my hands to wash my face. A little squirt of cleanser, some gentle rubbing, bam. Done. And during that time, I had pretty bad acne. 

Now, I didn't know this then, but apparently that wasn't cutting it for my skin. I needed exfoliation. I needed a deeper clean. And then the dollar store stepped in. 

Ever since I have started using these little green circles of amazing, my acne has mostly cleared up. The scrubs on one side are perfect for daily use. Exfoliating, but gentle about it. Not so intense that my skin is dry and red afterwards. The other side, the mesh side, is perfect for days when I feel really grimy or think my skin could use an extra scrub. It's a little bit more exfoliating. 

And the best part is, I can throw these into the washer and dryer with my regular clothes. Completely reusable, over and over again. In fact, I have rotated between the same three of these for over two years now. Once a week or once every two weeks (depending on when I remember), I toss them in the laundry and use a clean one. And on and on it goes. 

My skin is happy, and healthy, and glowing. No complaints from me, especially since I only spent a dollar on all three.

Next is my mineral makeup. Now, I know this is a hot topic right now, but here's my two cents. For what it's worth. (Two cents.)

I use the standard BareMinerals powder in fair. It's fast, it's simple, it does exactly what I need it to do. I've mentioned that I don't like wearing a lot of heavy makeup, and this stuff is about as light as it gets. 

I personally love that I can just brush some on and immediately look more put together than I did before. It's awesome before work because if I'm running behind, I will still look like I woke up brilliant and beaming.

And another great thing? It lasts all day! I don't refresh my makeup much throughout the day, but this stuff holds up to the standard work day just fine. In fact, when I wash my face at night, I still take some of it off. 

The blush that I use is also BareMinerals. It's The Natural High, one of their recent special collections. I didn't go into the store wanting blush, but after the salesperson applied some, I loved the way it looked. So I walked out of the store a little poorer, but happier. 

This blush is a nice, light pink with a slightly peachy undertone. My photos all seem to pull out that peach color. It's actually a little more pink in person than it is in the above pictures. Here's a picture from a beauty blogger I absolutely adore, Temptalia, that captures a better image of the color.

This is a very buildable color. I can apply just a little for a naturally fresh look. Or a little more to look like I'm super vibrant and flushed. It's an absolutely wonderful color. 

Now, for a mini discussion. I know that right now, there is an article circulating that mineral makeup isn't as good as everyone says. That it clogs pores. Makes your pores look bigger. Has bad chemical reactions for some people. Doesn't have enough SPF for what is advertised. 

In fact, some out there absolutely hate mineral makeup for these reasons. 

But for me, I have never had these problems. I don't notice a difference with my pores. I haven't had any bad reactions. And it doesn't make me break out (unlike some liquid foundations I've tried). I feel that just like with any makeup, you need to find the one that is right for you. Liquid, powder, cream, whatever. The beauty industry is vast and specialized. So go out there and find what is right for you. What makes your skin and soul happy. 

Thanks for reading, and again, apologies for being late!

Tricks and Tips : Blush

Here's a confession: when I started out with makeup, I made so many mistakes. Aw, who am I kidding? I still do! Almost every day, in fact. I do something that could be better. I have to go back and fix something I messed up on.

My biggest problem? Blush.

It took me ages to figure out how to put on blush so that it didn't look like I had put on blush. My blush was always too red, too much, to weirdly applied. And for years, I didn't wear any. I bought blush, would try it, look horrendous, and would just wash my face and go out bare faced.

After some practice (and buying a decent brush), I finally have it down.

Well, a little.

First off, you need a decent blush brush. At first, I denied this. I thought that a makeup brush is a makeup brush and I didn't want to spend tons of money on a tool. I couldn't tell the difference between a powder brush, a foundation brush, or a kabuki brush. But then I learned that, actually, the right brush can make a world of difference.

This is the blush brush that I use now. It's just the basic powder brush from Sally Beauty. 

Notice: the bristles are soft and fluffy, so application isn't too concentrated.

And here's the difference between the one that comes with blush (small, stiff) and the brush that I prefer. You can see how distinct it is. And how even that brush can make a difference.

Big secret: You don't have to spend tons and tons of money to find the right brush. The blue beauty up there? Less than a dollar at Sally's. If you have the money to blow on the best of the best tools, then fine. But for me, and for people who are just getting started, there's really no need. There are good, affordable brushes out there that can help when you're just starting out.

And honestly, I'm not a makeup artist. I'm just an average girl. I don't need the absolute best brushes because I put on makeup once a day, not 50 times a day on different people.

Basically, figure out what price range is best for you and start out small. 

Trick number two: a dry makeup sponge is your best friend for blush. 

This is the back side of my makeup sponge. Notice how red it is. 

The trick is, if you apply too much blush or the color is uneven, use a dry makeup sponge to drag the color upward. Start at the bottom of the area, and then gently use the sponge to move up toward the apple of your cheek. Once you have most of the color smudged off, you can gently pat the back of the sponge back towards your jaw line to blend. 

If done right, the sponge will pick up a good bit of the excess blush. That way you won't look like you've just been slapped. You'll look fresh faced and warm. 

It takes a bit of practice to get this technique down pat, but I think that knowing how to correct mistakes is half the battle with anything. 

Good luck and thanks for reading!

Birchbox January 2013 - Eyeko Eyeliner and theBalm Hot Mama

This is a twofer because I don’t have a lot to say on the Eyeko eyeliner.

 

It is a very pigmented black liquid liner with an “easy” pen applicator. It goes on super smooth, and I admit the pen tip looks like it would make life easier. However, I have the absolute worst trouble with eyeliner. I can’t seem to put it on without making the line jagged, shaky, broken up, and far too wide. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but I’m hoping to figure it out soon because I really like the looks of this eyeliner. Hopefully I can use it in the near future and I’ll be able to provide a better review. As it stands, I don’t have the skills to apply eyeliner properly. 

This all in one is another story completely. I only one one shade of blush, and that’s the Bare Minerals Ready shade Natural High. I like it, despite it’s hint of shimmer (I’m not a big fan of shimmers). 

So when this came I didn’t quite know how to feel about it. It looked a little too peach, a little too shimmery. But I tried it. And you know what?

I love it! The shimmer is just right and the color? Nothing to be worried about. It makes me look like I’m positively glowing. I don’t know that I’ll be wearing this a lot until it gets a little warmer (I heard on the interwebs that golden shimmers should be kept for warmer months), but I know once the sun comes out, this is will be awesome! I put a little on the apples of my cheeks and then a touch on my nose, forehead, and jawline. It makes me look like I went out in the sun yesterday, which is nice considering I haven’t seen healthy amounts of daylight in forever. 

This is definitely something I will be buying once the (generous) sample runs out. 

So happy!