Jane Doe: I’m looking for a good eye primer for red eyelids but can’t decide which one to go for. I want something that neutralizes the skin on my eyes (I have a lot of redness) but also gives my shadows mega staying power.
Me: I have 3 favorite eye primers; M.A.C. Paint Pot in “Soft Ochre” ($16.50), Lancome’s Ombre Perfecteur Pen ($23), and Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($18). All have yellow undertones to neutralize redness, and the staying power of shadows are amazing!
A couple weeks ago Promise Phan (one of the most talented makeup gurus on YouTube) posted a link to http://prettyandcute.com/ on Facebook. There, I discovered a magical brand of Korean cosmetics called Lioele. It’s a fairly new company whose business model is the Cinderella story (evident in their packaging). Lioele believes that true beauty can be found in everyone. Lately, I’ve been seeing pores that I never saw before. Thus began the search for pore shrinking skincare products that wouldn’t dry me out in the winter. On the Pretty and Cute website, I saw the Pore Clean & Tightening Pack ($20). The picture showed 2 tubes so I thought, The clay mask was a dark gray color that had the same consistency as other masks I’ve used. It did have a distinct smell of leeks. Leeks aren’t in the ingredients, but I don’t know what else to compare it to. It was very fresh, crisp, and green smelling. Not quite grass. Not quite celery. just plant like. During application, the scent of the mask started to calm me. I was liking it more and more. When it started to dry, I could feel it going to work. It felt almost as if there were little suction cups sucking all the crap out of my face. It didn’t hurt or feel itchy like some other masks do.
“Great,” I said. “I’m aging.”
“This looks interesting. It’s like a 2-step pore tightening system.”
Well I was wrong. Only 1 box came. So then I thought,
“Okay? So maybe it’s like a gel peel or something.”
Wrong again.
What it actually is, is a mask. Yup. Just a mask. I was really disappointed, but then I tried it.Here is a list of some ingredients and what it’s supposed to do:
(Ever wonder what your skin would look like when you’re 80?)
Rinsing off the mask was easier than other masks. I didn’t have to scrub or rub it off. My skin felt really smooth and soft. I didn’t feel any film or oils or anything at all, just my skin. Even though it felt clean, it wasn’t squeaky and tight. I could easily glide my finger across my cheeks without skipping. It’s hard to explain. My skin just had a nice slip to it without being slippery? My skin looked brighter and more radiant.
Here’s how I knew it worked:
After I completed the process, I noticed a little blackhead and blemish that I didn’t have before.
Here’s a tip– If you use a deep cleansing mask for the first time and you don’t have any new blackheads or blemishes, then it’s probably not working all that well.
In the end, I really liked this mask. I would have never tried it, if it wasn’t for the misleading picture and mysterious lack of info on the website. I already have a couple masks that I like, but this mask is definitely a favorite. It’s fresh, gave great results, and is perfect for my acne prone skin that turns dry in the winter. *Two thumbs up*
Jane Doe: I have normal / combo skin and in winter it usually gets a little dry…but this winter it’s behaving very differently. My skin is very dry in the cheeks and around the eyes, enough to where it is tight and uncomfortable most of the day. But my t-zone is just as oily as it would be in the summer and seems to be more prone to breakouts than usual. Any suggestions for how to tackle this? My current system is to cleanse with a normal cleanser, use a mild alcohol-free toner and moisturize with philosophy hope in a jar / eye hope for the eyes. I also exfoliate 4x a week and do an at home peel every other week.
Me: I would say stop using Hope in a Jar. Any oil on your face will make the oily areas worse. I don’t want you to waste your money though, so just use it at night with an oil control lotion on your t-zone. During the day, I would suggest MAC’s Studio Moisture Cream ($32). It’s safe for oily skin, but is very moisturizing. It gives time released moisture throughout the day and has spinach to help circulation. It will also add radiance to dry dull skin. Keep using your cleanser for normal skin, but switch to one with a toner in it. A toner’s main purpose is to pH balance your skin after using a cleanser that is too acidic. All of MAC’s cleansers a pH balanced, so you don’t need a toner. No toner= no irritating dry skin and no under-toning oily skin. Try MAC’s Creamwash ($19.50) or Green Gel cleanser ($19.50). Both are ok for all skin types.
Jane Doe: Perfect thanks! I haven’t tried any of MACs skincare maybe it’s time to give it a go. I think I’ll have to grab something from the Champale collection too.
Champale was made for you! All of MAC skincare is made with natural ingredients. No synthetics. No animal testing. All cruelty free.
Jane Doe: I love everything in that collection, I really want the quad though. It reminds me a little of my fav MAC quad Liza eyes which is really really old but just very pretty neutrals. Does the MAC skincare smell good?
Me: Some of it has no fragrance. I don’t remember what Studio Moisture cream smells like, but the Green Gel cleanser is very crisp and clean. It’s got green tea and algae extract. Balancing combination skin can be tricky, but you will eventually get there with the right products.
“Moisture” is a scary word for people with acne prone skin. The fact is, that even the oiliest skin needs it. Finding the right balance can be difficult, though. Too much moisture causes breakouts. Lack of moisture causes excess shine. Well, for those of you who always have at least one breakout somewhere on your face, but feel dehydrated at the same time, Laura Mercier has the perfect moisture mask for you.
Laura Mercier’s Intensive Moisture Mask ($32) is an oil free water-based hydrating formula that will leave your skin feeling baby soft. It’s a green gel that feels super light weight, so you can pile it on as thick as you want and won’t breakout. After cleansing your face, wear the mask for 5-10 minutes then rinse or towel off with warm water. After using this mask, not only did my skin feel soft and extremely comfortable, I was also more radiant. I’ve broken down some of the ingredients so you all can see that this mask is truly for all skin types and addresses all concerns.
moisture:
sunflower oil
sweet almond oil
shea butter
clarity/radiance:
grapefuit extract
rice protein
saxifragra extract
soothing/calming:
cucumber extract
barley extract
wheat germ extract
rose water
antioxidants:
tomato extract
vitamin e
firming:
coneflower extract
On my venture to buy makeup for my Drug Store Beauty Queen Tutorial, I found a precious gem. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstain in Cherry Pop (Target.com, $6.49). I’ve tried department store stains like Benefit’s Bene-Tint ($28), but I like this one better for 2 reasons; convenience and price point. To me it looks just like the product that costs $21 more, except instead of having a messy loose liquid, it’s all contained in a little pen. The coverage is buildable, so you can keep coloring until your lips are as dark as you want it. It stays on all day. I’ve even slept with it on and my lips were still red the next morning. Color Sensational Lipstains are perfect for someone who doesn’t like to reapply lipstick or gloss though out the day and wants a natural looking lip. I like to wear it with a moisturizing lip balm on top. Even Chapstick would work. Love it!
Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstain Demo: