Browsing Posts from July 2008

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Making Good With Minerals

I had a couple of readers write in about skin irritating ingredients in mineral makeup, foundation specifically. So many different lines are popping up these days that it’s starting to get confusing. So here’s what I thought we’d do – over the next two months, we’ll examine mineral lines on the rise, the kinds of ingredients they use and what that means for you. We’ve featured most of them on these pages before but let’s really get to the bottom of each.

 

And let’s really try and put the myth to bed that mineral makeup is actually good for your skin. Remember how everyone is throwing the word “natural” around these days? Well these companies are too and some of the ingredients can be just as irritating and un-natural as their non-mineral-based competition. This info from the Cosmetic Cop is worth the read. Don’t mistake this thinking we are not fans, as we are especially when it comes to the glimmer shadows from BE. *sigh*

 

Ok, onward. First up, the EVERYDAY MiNERALS line and their line which includes Foundations, Finishing Powders, Pressed Powders. Created by an ultra-busy Mom, the Founder was one of the first estheticians in California making headway into the area of all-natural and organic in the area of beauty.

 

Ingredient breakdown of powders:Everydayminreals_2

 

Mica – transparent mineral mined from the earth that provides light reflection (think of those liquid foundations that contain ingredients to lessen the look of wrinkles to the naked eye)

 

Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide - sunscreens

 

Iron Oxide – a natural color without dyes or animal ingredients

 

(some of the shades contain) Ultramarine Blue – ingredient used in blue and purple shades (the cool shades)

 
 

What we like about this line:

 

* Besides having a vast array of foundation shades, they really go the extra mile in getting it exactly right with warm vs cool complexions.

 

* Doesn’t contain some of the well-known skin irritating ingredients.

 

* The packaging has some thought behind it. What I mean by that is I’m really not enticed by some of the Mom and Pop mineral makeup brands out there. Sorry but I need good-looking packaging too. So shoot me.

 

* The prices are very reasonable and most of them come in these three sizes: $2.50/sample, $6/mini, $12/big

 

* 100% money-back guarantee.

 

What we feel can be improved upon:

 

* The website is not the easiest to navigate.

 

* Sizes do not give you exact measurement of product. Did I miss this on the site?

 
 

So do you currently wear mineral makeup? Why do you like it? Check out this line @ everydayminerals.com

Monday, July 28, 2008

Defend Your Hands With Handefend

Pureworks We’ve all heard of and used hand sanitizers in the gel and foam form. How about a hand sanitizer lotion?? PUREWORKS Antibacterial Lotion ($22/8oz, $12/4oz) is a first of its kind in a few different ways. Besides being in the form of a creamy lotion, it’s also FDA compliant as a First-aid antiseptic. I don’t recall hearing any other company in this category touting that fact.
Did you know that a lot of the popular brands are made up of mostly are mainly Ethyl Alcohol? Ones that contain alcohol supposedly work better than non-alcohol ones but Pureworks’ alcohol-free products claim to work just as good. Just short of doing a skin swab, how would one test this fact? Since I don’t own a chemistry lab, I used this one when I need to moisturize my hands anyways so I take their word for it. Their site has some interesting facts to back up their claims so read more @ buypureworks.com.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Double-Duty Balms

Kissing fact: It is estimated that the average person spends 20,160 minutes or 2 weeks kissing in their lifetime. So you better make sure they are ready at all times as you never know when it’s going to happen! My lips haveLipbalms_3 been all over, or rather, two that have been all over my lips are AUSTRALIAN SCENT’s Lips and Nails ($8/.2oz tin @ australianscent.com) and LINDI SKIN’s Lip Balm ($10 @ lindiskin.com). How did they know that after I’m done rubbing my lips with the balm, I massage the excess into my cuticles? Both balms make this suggestion, as they too know it’s just as nourishing for the lips as it is for nails. 

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Friday, July 25, 2008

That's Somme Institute Kind of Exfoliator

We wrote about the SOMME INSTITUTE some time ago and for the life of me, I can’t recall which product it was. I know it for sure was not their Transport ($58/3oz @ nordstrom.com) because I probably won’t forget this one now that I’ve experienced it. I sometime feel like scrubs with the granules are too rough for the skin on my face soSommepads_3 I know I will be reaching for this one on occasion as an alternative. Each pad in the Transport container is steeped in a combo of alpha and beta hydroxy acids to chemically exfoliate the skin and like all their products, this one contains their Molecular Dispersion Technology 5 or MDT5 ingredient. They claim this blend of vitamins A, C, E, D, B3 and B5, has been proven to produce visual changes in skin texture, tone, and clarity. Because of this unique biochemical complex, it’s able to penetrate the skin deeply without oxidizing or losing potency. And they have some impressive validation from dermas and researchers at prestigious Universities to back up their claims. Hmmmm, so there are the facts. I don’t know how long you are supposed to use this to see the results but typically it’s about 6 weeks. So while I’m just getting to that mark, I am digging the way it exfoliates my skin, which is good enough for me.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Honey, Honey Part IV

Alas, we come to the end of our four-part feature on great products that contain HONEY as an ingredient. Did you know that dark-colored honey, like buckwheat honey (didn’t even know there were different varieties), has higher levels of antioxidants than the lighter-colored varieties? Think of it as white bread vs. wheat bread. Check out some of these other posts from this on-going feature to see even more benefits of honey. Amazing!

 

  1. JUARA Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner ($27/4.75oz @ dermstore.com)
  2. INANNA Foaming Oat & Honey Facial Cleanser ($14.50/1.2oz @ inannaherbs.com)
  3. BEAUTIFUL KIDS NATURAL PRODUCTS Sassy Gentle Shower Gel ($8.70/8oz @ sassysfantasyworld.com)
  4. KATHLEEN LEWIS Organic Lip Balm ($11/.5oz @ beautyexclusive.com)
  5. BOOTS 'Mediterranean' Orange Chamomile & Honey Body Wash ($6.99/6.6oz @ target.com)
Honey

In closing, here’s an interesting fact about honey: One common misconception about honey is that when it gets cloudy and crystallizes, it has gone bad. This is not true--in fact, all honey will crystallize over time. The rate of crystallization is determined by the makeup of the nectar. Some honeys will crystallize in just a few days, while others will remain liquid for years. If honey begins to crystallize, it can be liquefied by placing the container in hot water for about 15 minutes.

 
Crystallization occurs faster at low temperatures, so it's better to store honey at room temperature rather than to refrigerate it. It should be tightly capped to keep the honey from absorbing moisture in the air--if too much moisture is absorbed, yeasts can begin to grow. Source

 

Monday, July 21, 2008

A Chanel Investment

Chanelbrowsuse_2I’m a sucker for a really high pair of shoes. Think stripper high and I’m lucky enough to be able to walk in them pretty easily. So when it comes to the price, I literally have to plan my purchases throughout the year! One of my other hard to resist items is the brow palette. CHANEL could take care of the shoes if I plan well enough but impulse buying is not an option in this area so their Le Sourcil de Chanel Perfect Brows ($65 @ chanel.com) takes care of my brow palette fix. Inside the black case are three powders and a set of minis - mini tweezers and stiff application brush. Yes, it’s a little pricey at $65 but think how much you use at a time and the three different shades are great for “adjusting” your own brow color as summer tends to lighten our hair color naturally.

 

Do you ever invest in expensive beauty products like this Chanel item? Why or why not? Please do leave us a comment!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Upcoming Interview

Radio_3I'll be doing an interview on PR101Radio.com (http://www.pr101radio.com) this Wednesday, July 23 in the 12pm to 1pm PST hour. The topics will be blogging, PR, marketing, advertising and sharing what I've seen work and not work. Be sure to tune in if you can!

All my blush,

Allmyblush

~Cybele

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Juicy Essie Neons

ESSIE's new NEON Collection is as vivid as it gets when it comes to color. Tips or toes, make ‘em stand out with any of these four.Essieuse

 
  • Short Shorts – shockingly flamingo pink
  • Mini Shorts – vibrant orange pop
  • Shorty Pants – electric yellow
  • Bermuda Shorts – high-voltage violet
 

And like these from Color Cop, the finish is matte, so be sure to apply a top coat to bring the color out. But I am left with one question - why no blue?? $8/bottle or $18/mini 4 Pack @ ulta.com.

 

So I wanna know, which color do you like best and do you too wish there was a blue?

 

Friday, July 18, 2008

Lippie Lip Balms From Clinique

CliniquesuperbalmsssAnyone who knows me sees I have lip balms tucked in just about every corner of my life – car, bedroom, work desk. I even have one drawer dedicated to them in the livingroom! I will be adding some of the superb colors from CLINIQUE’s ‘Superbalm’ Moisturizing Gloss ($13.50 @ clinique.com) collection to all areas. It has balm nutrients and a gloss finish. Let’s see, Raspberry will go in the car, Hazelnut is good for nighttime, so that will go in the nightstand drawer, and Currant will go in the purse. 12 shades to choose from and there are four new ones that are part of the new Air-Kissed Colours Summer 2008 collection: Passionfruit, Guava, Hazelnut and Cocoa.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Clean Logic REALLY Cleans

CleanlogicIt’s not often that I come up against a product I am kind of but that was the case when I first touched CLEAN LOGIC’s Stretch Bath & Shower Cloth ($6.99 @ ulta.comamazon.com). It’s coarse, man! But the roughness seems to soften a little when the water hits it, but not too much, which is good.

I also like that as the name states, it’s stretchy so I can apply some liquid soap and get my whole back area. I’ve been trying to find an alternative to those gauze shower puffs as I heard they can harbor mucho bacteria. So this is getting me on my way. Choose from four colors.

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