The Art of Double Cleansing

So this is how washing my face usually went. 

Five minutes before bed I would use 2 pumps of my Aquanil cleanser, massage it around my face for 10 seconds fully expecting it to completely remove the 3 pounds of makeup that has been sitting on my skin all day, only to have a smeared imprint of my face transferred to my previously clean towel. 

Forget about my morning routine--pathetic. I would rinse my face off in the shower, maybe a splash of water in the sink-why use cleanser in the morning? Ummm sweat and oil maybe? 

*hangs head in embarrassment*

Thankfully that has all changed.  My half assed attempt at washing my face was definitely contributing to my acne problems. Duh. 

Double cleansing is basically washing your face twice, first with an oil based balm to remove dirt and oil. Remember "like likes like", meaning oil and water don't mix but oil will be attracted to oil and lift it (and any makeup including mascara) right off of your face. Who should do this? Anyone who wears makeup or sun protection. If you have oily skin, do not be afraid. Plant based oils will not clog your pores and are perfectly safe to use. However, I would stay far away from mineral oil. That will clog your pores. 

The second cleanse can be a gentle, non-foaming cleanser (such as Aquanil, Cetaphil, CeraVe etc.) and is done to remove anything that had not been removed with the first cleanse. You can almost consider it an insurance cleanse. 

So here is how it goes now. Since my skin still reacts to products it does not like, I have not found a balm that I love (although I hear Clinique has a fantastic one that I may give a looky loo to), so I use coconut oil for my first cleanse. I used to use olive oil but coconut  works better for me. Take the coconut oil (or whatever you are using) and rub it all over your face, all over your eyes to lift the eye makeup, all over your cheeks, neck, everywhere. Then take a warm, damp washcloth and wipe off all the oil, dirt and makeup. If you don't have a wash cloth (you should go buy some, they are cheap), you can use those little cotton rounds. Next I take a few pumps of my Aquanil, massage it into my skin and again using my wash cloth, wipe everything from my face. There should not be a trace of makeup or anything left on your skin. You should be left with truly clean skin. Slather on some moisturizer and call it a night! I have even started properly washing my face in the morning with cleanser and a wash cloth. If you are going away on vacation and do not want to pack an oil or balm along with your cleanser, that's fine-just cleanse your skin 2 times using the same cleanser. 

As long as you stick to gentle products, you will not over cleanse your skin-we want properly clean, not squeaky clean. 

Everyone should try this! 

Your face will thank you for it

and then you can thank me!

So you're welcome in advance.

Happy Weekend Kittens!

~Jessica~

Jessica's New Skin Routine

Ok! So finally-this is the new routine!

I have always had a pretty simple skin care routine. In the morning I would rinse my face in the shower, dry it off and apply sun block. At night, I would wash my face before bed (religiously) and then apply either an AHA or BHA and be done with it. I was never one for pricey products or special serums because I was skeptical of the ingredients and felt they did nothing but break me out, so why spend the money. 

After being exhausted with my acne prone skin, I decided to visit the dermatologist (which you can read about here). The same week as my derm appointment, I stumbled upon a YouTube video featuring Caroline Hirons, a beauty and skin care expert from the UK. I started reading her blog, Carolinehirons.com and my skin and my way of thinking about my skin have been changed forever! According to Mrs. Hirons website, she is a globally qualified advanced facialist trained in over 100 brands and has trained teams internationally for top brands in the UK, USA and Far East. She now works as a Consultant to brands and retailers in the Beauty Industry. Caroline's immense knowledge, her no nonsense delivery and her incredible wit, make her blog a pleasure to read.

The first thing I changed, was my way of cleansing my skin. This has to be the single most important thing I did for my skin, and for that reason, it will receive it's own detailed post. Hopefully tomorrow.

So basically, I started double cleaning my skin at night which is washing your face twice, first with a balm to remove dirt and oil and then using a gentle cleaner to clean everything off. I will never wash my face any other way ever again and if you wear sun protection or makeup, you need to be doing this as well. 

The second thing I changed was how I moisturized my skin. I always thought it was ok to use a moisturizer with sun block in it. I was wrong. In order for sun protection to be effective, there has to be a substantial amount of protecting ingredients, which leaves little room in the formulation for moisturizing ingredients. So I have started using a separate moisturizer and Sun Protection. You should use moisturizers that contain emollients and humectants such as Hyaluronic Acid. Humectants take moisture from the air and hold it in your skin. This is what will give your skin that plump and youthful look. Also, look for moisturizers that contain vitamins and antioxidants as all of these ingredients work together to keep skin healthy and prevent it from aging. 

Lastly, I have started taking supplements. I have always taken vitamin D, now I have added Omega Fish Oils because they are amazing for your skin. I hope they help with my memory because I sometimes forget to take them.

This routine is still a work in progress. I am on the hunt for a good toner with skin repairing ingredients to hydrate and replenish. These are not the toners of our teen years (hello sea breeze!). I am also shopping for a nice anti-aging serum and I am working on reducing my sugar intake.

This may not seem like a huge amount of change but I have seen big differences in my skin these past few months. I don't know if it's the Retin-A or a combination of everything together but it's working. I know the double cleansing has had a huge impact on my skin. I have stopped using the Skineteca that I had reviewed, as well as the topical antibiotic that my derm  had prescribed.

So a BIG FAT THANK YOU to Caroline Hirons for all of the amazing information that she provides. Please take a look at her cheat sheets, they are incredibly informative. If anyone wants to read a well written, witty blog about skin care (besides this well written, witty blog), I suggest you give her a try.

Cheers Kitty Cats!

Armour Beauty Lip Gloss Review

 

Autumn is here and just like the birds flying South for the winter, this girl is starting her cool weather beauty transformation. 

The hair is going darker, richer/darker colors for the nails as well, and as it happens every single year without fail, we start seeing all the delicious reds, berries and plums for the lips!

Now I am usually a nude lip girl all year round. I stick to my flesh tones and my soft shimmery pinks and corals but I can't help but be intrigued by the gorgeous colors of the beauty landscape that appear this time of year and how classy and beautiful they can make a lip look. I feel that as full and fleshy a nude color can make your lips, if not done properly, it can make them disappear as well. You won't have that problem with bolder colors, quite the opposite-your lips will get all the attention so be prepared!

Armour Beauty is known for their lip glosses. 

They tout themselves as the "Rock n Roll Lip Gloss" and I can see why. They have gorgeous colors from the most subtle nudes and pinks to the most daring oranges and reds. They even have a black lipgloss! Now that is Punk Rock!

Armour Beauty was created by Theo Kogan, the singer for the Lunachicks, an all female, NYC based band from the late 80's-90's. Armour names it's glosses after their favorite rock and roll songs, artist and night clubs and here's the funny part:

They have a scrumptious pink gloss named Cat Club after the legendary NYC metal/rock club that me and my friends practically  lived in during the late 80's-early 90's!

Now I love this brand even more!

I have been wearing Grace, a drop dead gorgeous magenta pink with blue shimmer. You can even see hints of purple in it. This gloss is hugely saturated with color and shine. I have worn it with and without liner. You really don't need it, there is so much pigment. I have worn it bold and glamorous, as well as subtle by dotting it on my lips with my finger to create that bee stung pinky look. It has great lasting power and leaves behind a pink stain in its wake. These glosses are slick, never sticky, paraben free and never tested on animals. 

I highly recommend these and will definitely be purchasing more colors.

If you want to learn more about Armour Beauty,

 CLICK HERE

This gloss was a gift from my Rock and Roll momma so it is my own product. No affiliate links.

~Jessica~

Dry Brushing

 

Besides telling all you pretty kitties about makeup products that I love, I also love to tell you about skin care, not only for your face but for your body as well. Not only do I like to share product information with you, I love to share tips and tricks that you can do in the privacy of your own home so you can get the most out of your skin. 

It is here that I will share with you the secret of

dry brushing!

This is one of the simplest things you can do for your skin.

Why should you do it? 

There are 3 major benefits to dry brushing your skin:

• Exfoliation-Removing dead skin from your body only results in 1 thing! Younger, smoother skin! Yay!
• Increases Blood Flow-You know what lack of blood circulation causes? Cellulite! You know what happens when you increase blood circulation? Buh Bye cellulite! (maybe not completely but it will reduce it)
• Stimulates the lymphatic system-This aides in overall health as it will help remove toxins from your system. 

So it's simple. The goal is to dry brush once a day. I will admit that I don't do this as much as I would like because I'm a muppet and sometimes remember while in the shower and my skin is already damp.You want to start with dry skin so the best time to do this is right before showering (or whenever you remember but your skin, and the brush, must be dry). Using a natural bristle brush, brush the skin upwards towards your heart. Brush in sections, for example, start with your calves, work your way up to your thighs, your booty, your belly-you get the picture. I have read that you only need to brush an area once or twice-I probably brush around 10 times then jump in the shower. Your skin has now been exfoliated, which means you're getting rid of the old skin cells and bringing on the newer and healthier ones. This is also the perfect time to add products with nutrients and antioxidants because exfoliation aids in the absorption of whatever products you will now apply. You can also add an anti-cellulite treatment for a double whammy against cellulite! 

Take that cellulite! 

If you are going to dry brush before showering, I would advise against any additional exfoliation in the shower. You don't want to irritate the skin!

Until next time,

it's smooth skin sailing!

~Jessica~

Montagne Jeunesse Face Masque

OH HI!

As part of my new skincare regimen (that I still haven't told you about besides the retin a), I have decided to add some face mask's  to the mix. I love doing my yogurt mask but stopped that when I started using RetinA because I didn't want too much exfoliation going on.

During the sticky, humid summer, I decided I needed an clay mask to suck the sweat and oil out of my pores. Sounds sexy right?

I decided to try Deep Cleansing Clean-Up Mud with Aloe Juice for Blemish Prone Skin by Montagne Jeunesse. Sounds very fancy doesn't it? I found this in Stop&Shop. It cost $1.59 for .7 oz. I got about 4 uses out of it. I decided to try it because the ingredients were natural without anything that I wasn't familiar with.

Ingredients:

Aqua (purified water), Kaolin (natural clay), Hamamelis Virginiana (distilled witch hazel), Glycerin (plant origin), Illite (mediterranean clay), Bentonite (natural clay), Magnesium Aluminum Silicate (natural clay), Sea Salt (dead sea salt), Salix Nigra (willow)Bark Extract, Glucose (sugar), Romarinus officinalis (rosemary) Leaf Oil, Xanthan Gum (natural thickener), Allantoin, Aloe Barbadenis (aloe vera) Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis (green tea) Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng, Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis (evening primrose) Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Lactoperoxidase (milk origin), Glucose Oxidase (sugar origin), Limonene.

I really liked it a lot-it made my skin super smooth and I did not breakout which is always a big plus!

I liked the clay masque so much, I decided to try a few more. I purchased Fruit Smoothie Deep Pore Cleansing Masque, also A Very Berry Ultra Moisturizing and Cleansing Masque. I have not tried them yet, however I did not read the ingredients list until I got home and unlike the Clay Masque, these two have fragrance and some colorants such as Red Lake added, so I'm not too sure about these two. I'm not particularly pleased and based on that info alone, I don't know if I would re-purchase. 

I am all for purchasing the higher end products and I believe everyone needs a good quality clay or charcoal mask as they draw out the impurities in your pores, however if your pocket can't handle the more expensive ones, then the Montagne Jeunesse Clean Up Mud is a really great buy. The jury is still out on the other two products. 

These products are manufactured in the UK and they have the Leaping Bunny symbol on them which means they do not test on animals. They are also approved by the Vegetarian Society, if that matters to any of you and they are also Green Approved. 

If you want to learn more about Montagne Jeunesse

Click Here

Until next time, 

~Jessica~

Retin A and Beautiful Skin

Oh hello there!
Time for our lesson on Retin A.

So Retin A is basically a topical form of vitamin A that helps the skin renew itself. It works by increasing skin cell turnover promoting the extrusion of the plugged material in the follicle. It also prevents the formation of new comedones. 

Retin A was introduced over 30 years ago to help people who suffered from acne. However there were some side effects. Besides clear skin, people were also reporting more youthful plump skin, even skin tone and disappearing wrinkles! Say whaaa? I think I hear butterflies and fairies singing...

Retin A is an exfoliate, which means it will gently dislodge dead skin cells, cleaning  pores and bringing pimples and blackheads to the surface to be obliterated forever (or until you stop using it). It also stimulates collagen, giving you that plump, healthy skin you had in your 20's. 

Prior to starting my Retin A regimen, I researched it and was a bit scared of what I found. So before you get all this beautiful, youthful skin back, you have to go through hell first. Apparently, you will have the worst skin of your life before you have the best skin of your life. You reportedly, have horrendous breakouts. If a pore is clogged, the only way for it to be cleared is for it to come out. Usually in the form of a pimple. In addition to the worst breakouts, you will also have dry, flaky, peeling, irritated skin. Sounds like a blast.

As someone who was going to be using Retin A for an adult (teenage) acne problem, this sounded terrifying. I asked my derm about this and she said I shouldn't have a problem with it and anyone who has these issues, goes in too fast and doesn't follow the rules.

So there are some rules with Retin A that need to be followed. 

First-You know how they suggest you apply your moisturizer to damp skin, such as right after you wash your face or get out of the shower?

YOU CANNOT DO THIS WITH RETIN A!

The suggestion is to wait 15-30 minutes after washing your face. I wait about 30-60 minutes after just to be safe. This rule is probably good to follow with any strong exfoliate such as AHA/BHA. 

Second-You MUST use sun protection. You should always use some form of sun protection, however it is an absolute must when using Retin A (or any exfoliate). Your skin is much more sensitive to the harsh rays of the sun. So slather it on! And use nothing less than a 30 SPF!

I decided to ease in and just dip my toe before jumping in. The first week I used it once ever 2 nights, then I started using it every other night for the next 3 weeks. Then I was using it 2 nights on/one night off. I did that for a month. Finally, 3 nights on/1 night off for 2 weeks and now I am using it every night except for Saturday night. Saturday night is my night off. I don't know why but it has always been that way. I just wash my face and crawl into bed. No products. I suspect it has something to do with drunken Saturday nights in my mid 20's. 

OK, back to the subject~

So 3 months in and so far I love it! I did not experience any of the dreaded breakouts or peeling skin (except for one little area on my nose). 

Any existing acne that I've had is clearing up and I have not had any active breakouts in weeks, which is like a lifetime when you suffer from it. I am really excited to see what my skin will look like 3-5 months from now since they say you won't see the full effects until 6-8 months. 

So for anyone suffering from acne or if you're just looking to give your aging skin a boost, I highly suggest trying Retin A. Remember, you need a prescription for this so get a good dermatologist.

Ease into it and please follow the rules. Also, be sure to invest in a really good moisturizer because you may need it if you start to peel. 

Until next time

~Jessica~

Airbrush Foundation

I am a foundation whore!

And a restaurant whore but that is another post. 

The one product that I am constantly searching for my holy grail is foundation. I switch and sample different foundations constantly! I have tried, in the past few months alone:

• Eve Pearl-very heavy coverage, texture bordering on oily and clung to any dryness which is not good while you are using Retin-A. 
• Paula's Choice-very good product, full of good skin stuff but I never got around to ordering online. 
• Kevyn Aucoin- I love this line but I really disliked this product. The Skin Enhancing Foundation is definitely not for me and the main ingredient is mineral oil, which will break you out in a blink. 
• RCMA-Fabulous product and in my opinion, the best professional foundation there is. RCMA is made using vegetable oils and waxes with nearly 50 percent pigment, which means high coverage while using less product. RCMA foundations contain no perfumes, animal extracts, mineral oils or lanolin.  
• Makeup Forever- My go to foundation but still not Holy Grail status, still, highly recommended. I also love their Face and Body Foundation, however it is so heavily perfumed, I refuse to wear it on my face. 
• L'Oreal-another really good product, especially for a drugstore brand. It is very reasonable so you can purchase a few different shades to mix and match. This is also a fall back foundation for me. 

I am constantly searching online and then going to Sephora to get samples to try before I buy. It is the one product that if I find and love it, I will stick with it for years. But I have to love it. 

Foundation, unlike color products, have 1 main function: to make your skin look the absolute best it can possibly look by evening it out and covering imperfections. With color cosmetics, you tend to switch colors according to your mood and the occasion. You can purchase a bunch of different color lipsticks, eye shadows, blush etc and they can all look fabulous on you but with foundation, you have to match it perfectly to your skin tone so usually, you are choosing only one-maybe two if you are adventurous with your contouring and blending. Plus, it is the foundation of your look, so it has to be the right texture with the right amount of coverage.

*Quick Tip* You should have a foundation that you use in the spring/summer months and one you use in the fall/winter months, due to changes in skin and weather. 

So after seeing a few makeup artist use airbrush makeup without an airbrush machine, I decided to try it for myself. Now I know that some of you airbrush aficionados are probably freaking out but I am a rebel like that and there are no makeup police here. At least not today.

Airbrush makeup has a completely different texture than regular foundations. It is really thin with a very watery consistency. The way airbrush makeup works is instead of applying foundation with a brush or a sponge and blending it into your skin, the makeup passes through a machine creating a very fine mist, hence the watery consistency, and evenly sits on your skin creating that flawless, airbrushed look that everyone is always chasing. You can control the pressure of the mist with the airbrush dial. 

So applying airbrush makeup without a machine took a few tries for me to figure out what worked best. Two different techniques worked well for me so I combined them together. First is with my very clean fingers. I apply 1 drop to the back of my hand and apply to the skin. This stuff dries pretty much on contact so you have to work fast. I work in sections and use 1 drop per section. 1 drop for cheeks, 1 drop for chin, nose and forehead. It should take around 2-3drops to cover the whole face. The second is putting a drop on a flat foundation brush and again working in sections, patting it onto the skin. I do both, first applying with my fingers and then taking a drop on the brush and patting wherever needs more blending or more coverage. I wouldn't even attempt using a sponge, the foundation would just be sucked up into the sponge and wasted. 

The makeup that I used is Dinair and I must say, Dinair's customer service is fantastic! You can send them a photo of yourself and they will match your skin to the proper foundation color. They then keep you informed every step of the way so you know exactly where your product is from packaging to delivery. This product works well for me because of the formulation. It is not heavy at all, therefore it does not settle into fine lines or pores. It just looks like skin. I know all foundation should just look like skin but I feel like this gives you a better version of your own skin. Foundations in general, should even out your skin tone, cover imperfections and create a smooth texture to your skin, however sometimes it can make your skin look older by magnifying wrinkles and pores. This just does not do that at all. If it looks this good with applying it in an unconventional way, I could just imagine what it would look like if I applied it properly. So this has made me really consider investing in an airbrush machine or at the very least one of those spray foundations in a can.

I give Dinair and applying airbrush makeup without a machine 2 thumbs up! 

Try it out and tell me what you think! 

Until next time kitty cats!

Spoiler Alert-September Birch Box Reveled

Look what's here!!

Yay! My favorite time of the month-BirchBox time!

So these are the goodies that I received this month:

As you can see, very generous sized samples!

• Davines Sea Salt Spray
• Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lip Gloss in Precious Petal
• Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Fox Hunt
• Paula's Choice Resist BHA 9 ~what a coinkydink, no?
• Pearly Wipes Clean Up Your Kisser

So I would say on a scale of 1-10 this box is a 5/6. I'll explain why.

First, I have never used a sea salt spray for my hair, I would've probably loved to have tried this at the beginning of or mid-summer but coming into fall, I am picturing a little more sleekness in my hair styles. Also, the products in the box had a bit of salt on them so I am wondering how this is going to work in my hair. 

I will follow up on this one for all you kitties that are waiting on the edge of your seats. 

I am quite excited about the Elizabeth Arden lip gloss, it is a gorgeous shade of pink with a heavy dose of gold shimmer in it. This gloss looks like it was made for me and me thinks gold makes everything look better! Next, the nail lacquer is ok-I don't generally get worked up over polish as I never do my own nails. The Paula's Choice BHA 9- one of my favorite products but I have a full bottle of it-maybe I will pass this one to my momma. Finally, the Pearly Wipes--wiping your teeth is not exciting at all. Enough said.  

So I will let you all know how these products work out for me. Maybe I will find a Holy Grail product in the mix! 

We shall see~

Until next time, 

Big Kisses to All!!

September 11, 2001

I'm going to go off subject today in honor of all the lives lost and forever changed on September 11, 2001.

I was not planning on posting anything but in the spirit of never forgetting, I must always remember. 

I was 31 years old and working on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange. After the first plane hit, a headline ran across our news ticker that read "plane crashes into building, 5 people jump". It never occurred to me in that moment that that could be happening a mere 4 blocks away. I remember thinking "wow, that must be in Chicago and the pilot must have been drunk or had a heart attack". A very panicked co-worker alerted me to the situation-"don't you even know what is going on right now? A plane just hit the trade center". The second plane hit with such force, it shook our building. That's when I realized something was terribly wrong and this was no accident. 

September 11th will be a day that stands out forever in our history as Americans and our history as New Yorkers. It's the kind of day where you remember the most minute of details such as what you ate for breakfast (eggwhites and whole wheat toast), the weather (perfect) and what you wore (heels- I have always said pretty jokingly, that if you were going to wear heels, you had better be able to run in them. Never did I think I would ever have to put that to the test.) One of my memories of 9/11, didn't even happen on 9/11. It happened the night before as I waited out a heavy rainstorm while standing in a doorway in Soho. Life was pretty good then and I was taking in the moment. I remember smelling the rainy air completely oblivious to the surreal horror we were all about to experience the very next day. I remember that innocent (naive?) feeling. 

September 11, 2001 will forever for me, be holding onto my mother and yelling at her to not turn around, to just look forward as we ran from one of the tallest buildings in the world crumbling right before us. A building that was part of my landscape my whole life, a building that I had worked in as a young woman and still utilized on a daily basis. It was a vision my brain could not process and for a split second, entertained the possibility that this was not really happening. That it was somehow fake. 

We arrived home safe that night. There are thousands of others that did not. There are thousands who were having a normal morning, attending their usual morning meetings or boarding a plane, who never got to go home. 

I remember every single day. 

I will never forget the innocent people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania who paid with their lives, I will never forget the families who were left behind and still suffer every single day, I will never forget the first responders who rushed in but never came out, I will never forget the volunteers who came from all over the country to try to help in whatever way they could, I will never forget that plume of smoke that seemed to linger forever or the smell of lower Manhattan over the following weeks, I will never forget the ash and semi burnt paper that was floating through the air, personal documents, divorce papers, literally up in smoke floating around lower Manhattan. I will never forget the sadness and the silence that took over, I will never forget the New Yorkers who banded together to help each other, literally stopping to pick each other up while running from a falling skyscraper.

 I will never forget that safe, innocent feeling that I felt during that rainstorm on Sept 10th.

My Skin

So this is what's going on with my skin.

I have relatively good skin but suffer from breakouts. I feel as I am getting older, it has gotten worse. The first half of this year, my skin was a bit out of control. I am not sure if it was because of stress, hormones or a product I was using but it was constant and in my opinion, ridiculous. I am well past the age of constant breakouts. So in the middle of June, I decided to get real help and visit a dermatologist. I had also become curious about Retin-A. 

So off to the derm I go! After a thorough, up close and personal examination of my skin, she announces:

Your acne is quite unusual. 

Apparently, teenagers and adults break out differently. Teenagers usually breakout on the upper part of their face (forehead, cheeks, nose), while adults have their blemishes on the lower part of the face (mouth, chin, neck). She was perplexed by the teenage breakout I was having and found it interesting. However, that makes absolutely perfect sense to me, as I believe in my head that I am still a teenager and I act accordingly. Could I have possibly tricked my skin into believing it as well? I believe so! Now I will have to work on tricking the rest of my body.OK, back to the subject. 

The diagnosis was Adult (teenage) Acne and the prescription is Retin-A and a topical antibiotic. 

Two months in and so far so good. I am going to do a separate post on the Retin-A as that is a long term process and besides being a blemish annihilator, it is also the best (some say the only besides sun protection) anti-ager in existence. I also want to tell you about the other changes I have made to my skincare routine. There is definitely a difference in my skin and so far I am very pleased.

Anyone have any Retin-A experiences? Please share!

Until next time~

Jessica

Model Co Cosmetics Party Proof Matte Lipstick Review

I love my Birch Box. 

I know I have praised them before but seriously, anyone who is a makeup fan really should invest. It is so worth it. I am going to start posting the products I receive every month and reviewing whatever goods I get.

Read about Birch Box here.

Model Co Cosmetics Party Proof Matte Lipstick is the creamiest matte lipstick I have ever worn. Definitely not the matte lipstick of the 90's that made your lips feel like dry wood and stained so badly that you couldn't get the color off for a month (God forbid you passionately kissed someone, there was evidence for days). Also, this is a full sized lipstick that I received! Why do I have 2 lipsticks you ask? Well, my momma is also a Birch Box subscriber. She received Get Naked which is a very neutral, fleshy tone and I received Red Velvet, so we switched. She wears reds and I usually wear nudes, it just made sense. 

One has been used quite a bit!

Anyhoodles, I have been a gloss girl for years and I have not stopped wearing this since I got my hands on it. It feels so luxurious on my lips. It feels really smooth and conditioning, just creamy. When I first put this on, the word that came to mind was suede-soft, rich suede. Get Naked reminds me of Bridgette Bardot-she always had the sexy eyeliner look going on but she always, always wore it with a natural tone matte lip.  

According to the website:

Why you need it:

• A selection of highly pigmented, bright, bold, long-lasting colours-yes
• Matte and cream, high-fashion colour finish-yes
• Non-drying formula-yes
• Kiss, drink and party proof to last all day and night-eehhh (it is described as ultra long lasting on the website. Although it has staying power, I would disagree with that description. Maybe if you don't eat drink or be merry, otherwise, I feel it last as long as any other lipstick.)
• Convenient inbuilt mirror for easy application-Mine did not have a mirror attached to it, possibly because it was special for Birch Box. 

They have a nude lip pencil that I am tempted to invest in because paired with the Get Naked lipstick, it would make in my opinion, one amazing, fleshy, pouty, sexy mouth.

Red Velvet   Get Naked

So I give it my Little Goddess stamp of approval-2 Goddess thumbs up!

This retails for $16.95 USD. 

Click here to purchase or learn more about.

Until next time,

~Jessica~

KC57XWJHPHKR
*NO AFFILIATE LINKS

A Small Rant Courtesy of Moi

There is a phrase used in the world of makeup artist that I am on a one woman campaign to get rid of! 

When a makeup artist is going to apply someone's makeup, he/she may say "I'm gonna beat that face." I tried to find the origin of this gem (I suspect a drag queen had something to do with it) but this is all I came up with according to Urban Dictionary:

	Beat Your Face
	When a Make Up Artist Goes to Work on Someone's Face. Making them go From Plain Jane to Diva Basically, the term make-up artist uses to say I'm going to put make-up on your face. Client: My face needs some make-up MUA: Let me Beat your face So yeah, beating someone's face, a term that conjures up images of hate and violence is used to describe making someone feel beautiful, something that I find so generous and giving. I once had someone tell me I made her feel like a princess, why would I want to describe giving that feeling to someone as beating her face? I don't want to beat anyone's face, quite the opposite, I want to treat it kindly and gently.

Now I know that it's a very tongue in cheek term and meant in a very joking way, so please don't complain to me that I don't get it. I get it, I just don't like it and you won't catch this girl using that term ever!

Now who's with me? 

Coralista Benefit Blush Review

Hiiii there!

I am on a cheek kick lately! If there is anything makeup-wise that my eye is drawn to, it is cheek colors and blush palettes. They just look like candy and I want to taste them all! Cream or powder, it doesn't matter-I can just envision all those beautiful colors making my skin look healthy, flushed and radiant! 

Click here for Coralista

My newest favorite blush of the moment is Coralista from Benefit. Now I've always loved Benefit's blushes, I have used Dandelion for years. For those of you not familiar with Dandelion, it is a semi-matte baby pink powder blush that just gives you the perfect baby doll flush on your cheeks. 

Click here to check it out!

I picked up Coralista during my recent trip to Ulta and decided to try it after seeing it described in a few online articles as being a staple in some makeup artist kits, plus I am draw to anything coral-y as I find it compliments my skin. So as the name suggest, Coralista is a coral toned powder blush, with a generous dose of sheen to it.

I love this blush! 

This blush is super complimentary, for many different skin tones! This can be a sheer wash of color or built up to be more intense. It does produce that sexy glow so I wouldn't apply too heavily during the day for fear of looking too shiny. Also, I would apply this over a matte base, otherwise you may come off as oily. I wear this alone during the day to get that healthy, glowy, flushed look. At night, I pair it with my Physicians Formula Bronzer/contour-I tend to skip highlighter with this. 

Another product that comes with a useless brush, which there is no photo of as I've tossed it in a drawer.

So definitely give this a go if you love sexy, healthy, natural, glowy coral! It won't disappoint! 

Until next time~ 

~Jessica~

These products were bought with my own hard earned cash. 

No affiliate links.

Paula's Choice and Skinetica

Oh hello there pretty kitties!

Just a heads up-this is going to be a long one. 

Regular readers of this blog know that I am fanatical about protecting my skin with the proper sun protection and that I treat my skin with my favorite acids-AHA's and BHA's. You would also know that I have very reactive skin and struggle with breakouts. 

I have recently upped my skincare game to include Retin A (this will be a separate blog post) and a topical antibiotic to help banish the breakouts and generally improve the health of my skin. At the same time that I started this new skincare regime, I had discovered an AMAZING blog written by Caroline Hirons (carolinehirons.com) that has changed the way that I take care of my skin. All of this will be a separate blog post as there is just too much to write.

What I do want to tell you about are two products that you may be interested in trying. 

The first one is from Paula's Choice (paulaschoice.com). Reasons I love Paula's Choice: good products with good, quality ingredients, very reasonably priced, fragrance free, you can try it before you buy it, and she takes on the big named companies who sell sub par products with basic ingredients at ridiculously expensive prices. 

So earlier this year, Paula's Choice rolled out their Resist BHA 9 for Stubborn Imperfections.

Click here to read my post on BHA's

Now usually the highest strength you can find for a BHA product is 2%. The good folks at Paula's Choice have managed a 9% formulation that is very gentle on the skin. The texture of this product is like a serum bordering on an oil. I am on my 2nd bottle of this product, however I had to stop a few month's ago as per doctor's orders, when I started using the Retin-A. According to Paula's Choice website, Resist BHA 9 is effective for: Acne Breakouts, Anti-Aging, Blackheads, Brown Spots, Enlarged Pores, Keratosis Pilaris, Redness, Rosacea, and Wrinkles. 

It:

• Reduces clogged pores-Yes
• Diminishes enlarged pores-Yes
• Reduces white bumps (milia)-Not Sure
• Minimizes flesh-colored bumps (sebaceous hyperplasia)-Yes
• Softens rough, dry, and flaky skin-Yes
• Calms redness and irritation-Yes
• Fades marks from past breakouts-Yes
• Reduces wrinkles and fine lines-Yes
• Dissolves stubborn blackheads-Nope
• Clinically proven non-irritating-Definitely non-irratating
• 100% fragrance free, no added dyes-Yes
• No animal testing
• Reduces Breakouts-Yes

Pros: A well formulated product that definitely makes a difference in the skin's appearance and helps with controlling breakouts.

Cons: Very expensive for a Paula's Choice product. $36.95 for .3 oz. That is not a lot of product.  

This product confused me at first. It was touted as a spot treatment, however my blemishes, wrinkles, pores, etc are located on all different parts of my face so I was applying it all over as a full face treatment. The original pump sucked. This was being marketed as a spot treatment but the pump only pumped out a full face pump. They seem to have gotten that in order with their New Precise Control Pump so you can use it any way that benefits you. 

This is definitely worth a try if you have any skin imperfections. You can purchase a sample to try it first before committing. I tried the sample first and didn't see any major changes until 1/2 way through the sample bottle. 

The next product I've found, I am on the fence about. 

I found Skinetica (http://www.skinetica.co.uk/) while snooping around online and decided to give it a whirl. The reviews looked good and the price was right-around $21 USD. This product ships from the UK.

According to the website, it is:

•    anti-blemish skincare treatment~  for the removal of acne, spots, pimples, blemishes, blackheads and whiteheads
•    a Super Toner – removes virtually all skin impurities
•    a Base to Foundation – prevents make up running even in hot climates

•    With visible results in 2-3 days and no side effects

•    No harsh chemicals, non-toxic, non staining, non greasy and can be used under make-up

•    Safe for all skin types and all areas of the body

It claims to "kill 99.99% of P.Acnes Microbes without using toxic chemicals". The technical explanation from the website is:

 As Skinetica air dries after being applied to the skin, it forms a molecular matrix, attached to the skin surface, which consists of very sharp pointed molecules. P.Acnes microbes cells are negatively charged, whereas the Skinetica molecules carry a positive charge, and when in close proximity the two are electrostatically drawn together. The Skinetica molecule being sharp like a sword, penetrates the outer cellular wall of the microbe, thus killing it. The medical name for this process is “lysis”. 

The ingredients list is short:  purified water, ethyl alcohol (only 18%), fragrance (BOOO-we no likey fragrance in our facial products), quaternary ammonium compound. 

So basically, you would use this product twice a day after you cleanse your skin, just like a toner (this product is a liquid- It is thin like water). Apply to a cotton round (I feel you lose too much product with a cotton ball) and swipe all over your face, neck, hairline, chest, back-wherever you may have a blemish. 

One thing I noticed while reading the online reviews, either people loved it and described it as a miracle product or they didn't see a difference. There was very little in between. After using this for a few weeks, I did not feel it did anything for my breakouts, existing or preventive. It definitely made my skin look and feel much more soft and conditioned in the morning but blemishes were still present and did not disappear, especially within the 3 day time frame. Once Retin A came on the scene, I put this on the shelf for about a month or so. I am now back to using it and like it much better the 2nd time around. My face is much clearer than it has been in a while but I am not sure if Skinetica has anything to do with it or if it is the result of the Retin A/Antibiotic combination. Either way, I am not sure if I will be repurchasing this when the bottle runs out. 

So there you have it! 

Please feel free to post any questions in the comment section below and I will answer as best I can. 

Until next time!

Have a safe Labor Day weekend!

~Jessica~

ZPalettes

I am not the most organized person I know. I am definitely not that girl that has everything in just the right place. I envy those people. However, I am very organized when it comes to my makeup kit. You have to be! For multiple reasons. First, you don't always have a ton of time to be leisurely looking for what you need. Second, you don't want to look like a disorganized mess in front of the client. 

Most professional makeup artist know all about ZPalette. They are very cute, stylish and customizable makeup palettes. I believe they are an absolute necessity for the pros but I highly recommend them for anyone who wants to organize their makeup clutter.

Zpalette's are magnetic, empty cases with a clear top that you can fill with your own eyeshadows and blushes. 

The palette I bought at The Makeup Show was specifically for liquids, so I filled mine up with lipstick. Now I don't have a huge amount of lipstick that I carry around with me but enough to make it difficult when I'm in a rush and do not have a ton of time to open every lipstick to find the shade that I'm looking for. I usually end up going with gloss because the shades are easier to find because of their see through tubes. 

I purchased a hot pink palette, along with the little silver magnetic wells for the lipstick. 50 come in a package. 

So here is what you do.

• Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees (depending on your oven, you may have to go up to 225). 
• Slice about an inch off of the lipstick of your choice and place it in the metal well. Do this to all of the lipsticks that you would like to melt down. 

• Line a cookie sheet with all of your lipstick filled wells.

• Place in the pre-heated oven and DO NOT WALK AWAY. Seriously, this will take about 30 seconds to a minute for them to melt down. 
• When they are all melted and liquidy, take them out and let cool.

• Now just put them in your pretty, little ZPalette and Voila! Instant organization. 

Let me know what you do to organize your makeup.

Click here to get your ZPallette!

Physician's Formula Review

Hi there! 

Sorry I disappeared for a minute but life gets in the way and I went into vacation mode. Thanks to all that have stuck around and I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

So I was lazing around, just minding my own business when I bumped into two products that made me snap out of my summertime stupor. 

Some of the problems us fair skinned lovelies have with bronzing powders are that they can pull too orange or muddy on our skin. A bronzer should make you looked sun kissed, not like an Oompa Loompa and dirt had a baby. So on my recent first visit to Ulta (I know, where have I been?), I decided to try Physicians Formula (a line I do not recall ever trying before) Mineral Airbrushing Bronzer SPF 30 in the shade Light Bronzer. I am so happy I found this product! Let me first say that this is so finely milled, it is pretty much goof proof for anyone worried about blending it. It does give an airbrushed effect and it has a high SPF so it is protective as well. The Light shade has a pinky, sandy, neutral tone to it (no orange!), which works really well with my fair/medium skin. I use it more for contour as it is a satiny matte with no shimmer and blends really well. I am not sure how well this would show up on a darker skin tone but you can try the darker shade. Also, it was less than $8 at Ulta! I believe they had a buy one, get 2nd 1/2 off. It usually runs about $13. My one complaint would be the packaging-it is quite cumbersome. The Bronzer comes with a mirror and a brush (which I will never use) but it is bulky and awkward to carry. 

Hey Physician's Formula, ditch the brush and make the packaging slimmer please!

The Bronzer is showing up lighter in the photo than in person but this shade is definitely for light skinned ladies. 

The second product is a highlighter, also from Physicians Formula. I bought Mineral Glow Pearls in Translucent Pearl after being drawn to the bumpy pearl like texture and the pinkish sheen of the product. I have to say, I am impressed with Physicians Formula's products. This product is again, very finely milled and provided a subtle sheen perfect for highlighting. It is pretty translucent, leaning towards the white side than the pink. It does not settle into lines, it just creates a healthy glow. I would use this on cheekbones, brow bones and down the bridge of the nose. I paid $13.99.

Again, epic fail on the packaging. Another bulky compact with a useless brush. 

All and all, two great, reasonably priced products worth a try.

DIY Sweet Body Scrub

Oh hiii kittens!

 It seems that everyone really enjoyed the DIY yogurt mask post from a few weeks back, so I will try to post more of those for you.

Here is one more thing that you can try at home:

Mix some sugar together with a little olive oil, jump in the shower and scrub away! You will emerge all smooth, glowy and polished. 

Some TIPS:

White sugar, like the kind yo momma used to keep in her cubbard, works better than the raw turbinado sugar that I now keep in my cubbard. Also, this works best if you do this while your skin is still dry, scrub for about a minute or two all over and then rinse off and continue with your regular cleansing routine. 

Keep in mind, your tub will be slippery due to the oil-so be careful!

You can also do this with any combination of the following: salt, shea butter, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, vitamin e, lemon.

I do this once or twice a week. Happy scrubbing and tell me what you think. Let me know what kind of DIY skincare post you would like to see.

Bdellium Tools

One day my mother was at my house while I was putting my makeup on and she said "I can't believe how many brushes you use to get ready" I thought how could you not!? It amazes me when women say they only own 3 brushes! I use 3 brushes just to do my cheeks. Now don't get me wrong, you can definitely do a simple eye with a single brush, but you have to have options! Different brushes achieve different looks.

So if you're wondering why your makeup isn't looking as polished as the pro's, look at the tools you're using and you may have found the problem.

Now brushes can be quite expensive but there are plenty of affordable options available.

I would like to introduce you to Bdellium Tools.

I was turned on to these brushes by the girl who checked me in at last years IMATS. I bought 1 brush and it immediately became one of my favorite go to brushes-oh and it was $6. Now I believe that may have been the show price but still, full price is like $12. That is quite affordable for a quality brush.

So at this years Makeup Show Bdellium was going to be one of my stops.

Bdellium offers 6 series of brushes on their website. Maestro Series, Studio Line, Travel Line, Green Bambu, Yellow Bambu and Pink Bambu. Individual brushes range anywhere from $7 to $20. Depending on the line, some brushes are treated with an anti-bacterial agent and some are eco-friendly. I have so far stuck with the Studio Line and I have been really pleased with the quality and performance of these brushes. I bought a 12 piece brush set for the eyes (that came in a cool roll up pouch and contains one of the tiniest angle liner brushes I have ever seen) specifically for my kit and I will definitely be repurchasing some of the brushes for my own personal collection.

Click here to learn more about Bdellium Brushes.

One of the reasons makeup artist's looks are so polished and flawless is because of their blending abilities.

So here is a TIP just for you:

Keep a clean blending brush available when you are applying your makeup! Yep, that's right! Make sure one of your brushes is clean, meaning you have not dipped it into any color and use that brush to blend. If you blend with the same brush that you've applied color with, you will just muddy up the colors. So apply with one brush and blend with another brush!

And don't forget to clean your brushes! Don't make me come after you for not cleaning your brushes! 

~Sincerely, the Brush Police~