Pur Minerals Makeup and Skincare

In the summertime, my skin needs constant care. One minute it is oily and shiny, the next minute it is dry and flaky. It is so frustrating, especially when I am traveling! This is why I appreciate products that can serve more than one purpose. Both products I tried from the Pur Minerals line do just that! And they are both great for my combination-nightmare skin.

Pur Minerals Pur Polish is an exfoliating wash that can be used from head to toe! It is gentle enough to use daily in the shower on my face, or smother all over my body. It is made of natural ingredients like aloe vera, naturally exfoliating citrus oils and the soothing vitamins A and E. My finicky face always feels amazing and refreshed after a quick scrub down with Pur Polish. And priced at $21.50 for 8 fl oz, it is a good deal. My only complaint is that the pump on mine doesn't seem to work. I just unscrewed it and used the tube inside as a spatula of sorts which works ok, especially in the shower.

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation with SPF 15 boasts that it is a foundation, concealer, powder and SPF all in one product. This is perfect for girls who want minimal fuss when it comes to makeup and sunscreen. I like that it is a mineral powder compact, instead of loose, making it much more portable. The color they sent me was a bit too dark, so I used it when I got a bit of sun the other week. It went on pretty smooth with a brush and coverage was between light and heavy. I stayed fairly shine free all day and it covered up most of my imperfections. It would be a great item to throw in your overnight bag for that weekend at the beach/shore. It is available for $24.50 on their website.

Mineral Lovely!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder Foundation

I have found my perfect foundation powder! After endless trial and error of many brands and formulas, this is the one that has proven to be the best...so far. Being a beauty junkie, I of course will continue to try others, since that is what I do. But for now this is my go-to foundation powder everyday of the week. I initially tried it in their limited edition duos, paired with a shimmery highlighter but I found I was mostly just using the matte side. So I was thrilled to discover that MAC sells them on their own!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish/Natural has very light coverage and yet it is build-able for those days when you need some extra help. I apply it with my kabuki brush, after I have put on concealer (YSL's Touche Eclat mostly...still obsessed with that as well!). It blends in so nicely and the shade light/medium matches my skin quite well. I don't feel like I get shiny later in the day and yet it doesn't make me look like I have a thick layer of powder on my face. I love that it is in a small compact (and not loose... don't think I can go back to loose mineral powders now) but I do wish the compact included a mirror and a sponge for quicker mid-day touch ups. I guess you really can't have everything.

Powder Lovely!

MAC New View Mineralize Skinfinish Duo

I finally got around to a MAC counter this weekend (I know, took me long enough!!!) and I picked up one of the many MAC products I've been dying for: a Mineralize Skinfinish Duo in Light Medium/Natural And Shimmer from the New View collection. As I had suspected, I love it! It is the perfect summer foundation powder for me. I dust on the matte side (the larger of the two) all over my face after using a little concealer under my eyes and on "spots" and then dust on the shimmer side to highlight the tops of my cheekbones. The effect is quite ethereal, if I don't say so myself. So, congrats MAC, you've done it again.

Dust Lovely!

Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder

The other day I literally had 5 minutes to run into Sephora and get a foundation powder to replace my Laura Mercier Mineral powder that had run out. Unfortunately the Sephora store in downtown San Francisco doesn't carry Laura Mercier so I was forced to look elsewhere. I've been meaning to try out some more of Make Up For Ever's products so after running around the store, I headed straight to their display and saw their Super Matte Loose Powder. Quick as a flash, I grabbed up what I thought would be a good match for my skin and hurried to the checkout.

Well, I've been using the powder for a week now and I have mixed feelings. It is very matte, which I like, but the coverage is minimal and isn't nearly as buildable as the Laura Mercier. Reading the description on Sephora.com, I now know it is ment more as a setting powder than a foundation by itself. Guess its not always a good idea to grab and go when it comes to makeup. I also think I went a little too light with #14, especially for summer. I've been wearing SPF 30 everyday like a good girl but my skin seems a little tanner than it did a few months ago. Oh well, better luck next time. I think I'll have to head over to the other SF Sephora and pick up the LM powder I love so much. I can use the MUFE as a setting powder, or as a lighter foundation once my skin clears up some more.

Powder Lovely.

Jumped On The Mineral Bandwagon

I know I just wrote about how much I love my Foundation Powder by Laura Mercier, but as the compact emptied, I let my eyes wonder to other possibilities. I wouldn't be a junkie if I stuck to the same products! I now have a new favorite foundation! I will keep what is left of my compact for on the go touch-ups, but now I use Laura Mercier's Mineral Powder SPF 15. It is a loose powder that provides minimal coverage, but can be layered on for greater concealing. It feels light as air on my face and adds a bit of pearl essence to my complexion.

The lovely people at Sephora Union Street color matched me to Tender Rose, a pink ivory for very fair skin tones (I'm so pale after this winter!). It is easy to apply with a blending powder brush or a kabuki brush for more coverage, but it can get a tad messy if you aren't careful. I like the way it makes my skin look much more than other mineral powders I've tried (cough cough, BE). The coolest feature is the sliding lid, which blocks the holes so when you are travelling, all the product won't end up in the lid. So clever! But since it is a loose powder, I know better than to carry it around with me in my purse, least it get all over everything. So that's wear my almost empty compact comes in. Waste not, want not!

Powder Lovely!

New Fabulous Foundation and Concealer

The other night I realized that after being in the sun for a few days in Cabo, my foundation didn't match my skin anymore. Even though I protected my face, I still got a touch of color. When I put on my old concealer and powder my face was a VERY different color than my neck and chest. YUCK!

So something had to be done. I have heard raves about Laura Mercier products for awhile now, especially her concealers, so I decided to try them out. I needed to pick up some things at Macy's (tights... I am loving the sweater dress and tights combo for winter work wear right now) and so I headed straight to The Laura Mercier counter since its strategically placed right at the bottom of the down escalator at the Macy's in Union Square.

The sales people were very helpful and nice. I told then I wanted a new powder foundation and a spot concealer. The woman found a powder (No. 2) that is a perfect match for my skin and showed me how to apply their highly rated Secret Camouflage concealer (she also selected SC 2).

Secret Camouflage is a compact concealer that comes with two colors. For perfect application, use a small-tipped brush and mix the two colors on the top of your hand, to warm up the makeup and make it easier to apply. Then lightly dab on the spot you want to cover, blending into your skin. Set lightly with powder. It is the easiest application I've tried and really is effective. I had some nasty breakouts after vacation, but no one could tell after this stuff! Glorious!

I am very happy with my new foundation routine. It looks flawless without looking overly made up. I love powder foundation because it is buildable, so depending on how you feel about your completion, it can give your the coverage you want all the time. Love it!

Cover Lovely!

Hi-Def Your Makeup

Seems like everyone is jumping on the High Definition bandwagon. That's right, even makeup companies are using the advancement of this new technology to sell cosmetics! Cargo just came out with a new line of makeup called The blu_ray™ Collection. Here is what they have to say about it:

"The revolutionary new collection from CARGO cosmetics, blu_ray™, was created especially for filming in high-definition. The professional-quality makeup covers imperfections while looking completely natural—since any heavy coverage is amplified in hi-def—and the result is radiant skin. CARGO's The blu_ray™ Collection is ideal for weddings, special events, or for flawless everyday beauty."

The pressed powder looks intriguing and so does the HD mattifier but right now the powder only comes in one color, a "neutral beige." (I think the mattifier is clear.) I am all for makeup that is good for your skin and still looks good on camera, but its sounds a bit like a marketing ploy to me. What do you think, ladies?

HD Lovely!

Product Review: DuWop's Revolotion Face

As I mentioned a few weeks back, eLuxury.com screwed up my order and I got $30 credit on their site. So I took advantage and ordered DuWop's Revolotion Face after reading rave reviews on a few other beauty blogs. I figured since it's becoming winter (sniff sniff), I might want a little more coverage than my usually concealer, moisturizer and powder. Well I have to say I'm not wowed by this product at all. It is not lightweight the way I expect a tinted moisturizer to be and it makes my skin feel a little sticky. But I have found a good way to use it: mix it with my Purpose moisturizer. That way it has a thinner coverage, so I don't feel like a clown, and the texture is much improved. You can do this with any foundation, just be sure to blend the two products together really well in your palm, so it goes on even!

Blend Lovely!

Its all about Good Service!

I ordered DuWop's Payoff, a liquid eyeshadow intensifier from eLuxury.com the other week because it came with a free set of cute lip glosses that I figured were worth the $5 shipping charge (the GWP seems to be still available...check it out!). I was right, the lip glosses are cute and the compact they come in is pretty. But when I went to check out the Payoff, the cap was broken and the bottle was empty! So I called eLuxury to complain and get instructions on how to return the bottle and get a replacement. They were very nice and helpful. They are sending me a new one right away, at no charge, and I don't have to send the broken one back. They even gave me a $30 credit for the trouble. This is why it pays to shop at establishments that take pride in their customer service. As a former Nordstrom employee, I know to value of great service and I reward companies that put the customer first. I will most certainly go back and shop at eLuxury, even if I can't afford most of there items. Hello $2,000 handbags! But I will put my $30 to good use, probably on DuWop's Revolotion Face. I just have to go to Sephora and test colors. How could I buy a foundation online without knowing what my shade is?!

Service Lovely!