July 11, 2016

Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm for Fall 2016

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Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm

These newfangled moisturizer slash face primer formulas might just be all the rage for Fall 2016. Josie Maran Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm ($36) sounds an awful lot like the new Clinique Pep-Start Hydroblur Moisturizer with a formula that preps skin for makeup while hydrating.

This skincare slash makeup hybrid is a light, creamy whipped formula that allows makeup to apply easily while providing a soft, luminous glow to skin and a host of anti-aging ingredients that plump, smooth, and hydrate skin!

I have to admit I love the idea of these but I also question them. I mean how much different are they from say a hydrating primer like the new E.L.F. Beautifully Bare 3-in-1 Makeup Base I recently reviewed? But I also correct and remind myself how considerably more moisture they provide! I’m kind of loving this trend and I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops over the next few months because I don’t think Clinique and Josie are going to be alone for long.

What do you think?

Available now at Sephora.com.

6 Comments

July 11, 2016

Bare Minerals Pressed Everything!

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bare minerals barePRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation

Bare Minerals continues to join the pressed makeup world with their new Bare Minerals barePRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation ($30) is a step in a new direction for the loose mineral powder brand. Gone are the days where Bare Minerals introduces loose pigment everything! Nowadays, it’s all about the pressed powder formulas.

Their new BarePro Performance Wear Powder Foundation promises to provide 12 hours of breathable coverage with a formula enriched with 90% vitamins and minerals. Don’t worry the matte finish promises to look and feel natural without a cakey finish! Let’s hope they left out the bismuth for this itchy skinned girl! Apparently the 30 color range has a true-to-you shade selection that was designed to match all skin tones and ethnicities.

As you already know, I don’t get on well with Bare Minerals Mineral Foundation. I find it itchy and I also feel like it looks like rubbish on my drier, duller skin. It’s a formula that seems to suck the luster right out of my skin. BarePro might not be a perfect fit for me either as the matte finish does scare me a little but hey, I’m all about trying new beauty so, who knows this might actually work out a treat for me.

What do you think non-BE fan girls and guys?

Worth a try?

How about the Bare Minerals Foundation fans? Willing to exchange your loose minerals for a pressed powder?

Do share!

It’s available now at Ulta.com.

33 Comments

July 11, 2016

It’s Terribly Hard to Resist the MAC C’est Chic Eyeshadow Palette

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MAC C'est Chic Eyeshadow Palette

It’s becoming terribly hard to resist the new MAC C’est Chic Eyeshadow Palette that’s available exclusively at Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com. MAC packs up both new and old shades in a matte selection of nude, natural colors. You get 15 shades and the palette reflects the new MAC price tag so, this little baby will set you back $65 bucks. This one of part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Collection for 2016 so, you won’t find it anywhere else.

Shades include:

  • You’re Bluffing (soft peach)
  • Soft Brown (soft golden peachy-brown)
  • Demitasse (midtone brown)
  • Corduroy (muted reddish-brown)
  • Dash of Mocha (dark beige brown)
  • Pale, Please (washed out pink)
  • Oo La Café (midtone neutral)
  • Choc-ful (dirty midtone pink)
  • All’s Rosy (deep pink rose)
  • Embark (intense reddish brown)
  • Drawing a Blanc (creamy beige)
  • Fogged in Dirty (grey)
  • Pinch of Sage (warm grey)
  • Dance in the Dark (dark brown)
  • Raven-Eyed (deep dark navy)

I keep telling myself I’m going to inject more matte into my daily beauty diet and this palette fits the bill well. But, MAC’s matte eyeshadow formula is hit or miss for me! I might have to check this one out in stores.

What about you

Loves it or leaves it?

P.S. I see the world went crazy while I was away on vacation. Please remember to love each other!

27 Comments

July 11, 2016

In the Makeup World Limited Edition Becomes Less Meaningful

limited edition makeup

I think limited edition has become less meaningful in the makeup world in the last several years. I was discussing the Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow Palette earlier today and mentioned it being permanent but a few people said, “No, it’s limited edition!” and the only thing that crossed my mind upon hearing this was, “That doesn’t mean much!” I think this becomes particularly meaningful due to the fact there was great hype that surrounded the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lipsticks and Gwen Stefani Palette which promoted very heavily as being available for a limited time yet all of the collection went on sale at 50% off (or even lower in some cases). Hey, I love a good sale but this also decreases the value of your limited edition product and also upsets fans who did pay full price for those items. I’m waiting on the Alice Through the Looking Glass Eyeshadow Palette to hit the $39 mark at some point!

Strangely enough, somehow, someway, the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette proved to be the most elusive palette I’ve seen the last several years. It sold out so quickly and so many times from so many stores it truly boggled the mind. On that note, I will say, it’ll be making a return very shortly and along with possibly new blushes or highlighters that are somehow peach inspired as well. And again, we’re kind of in the same situation of limited edition having less and less meaning.

Offering limited edition makeup pieces and collections can be a tricky business. You don’t want to piss off the masses by making something available for too limited a time nor do you want to have fans missing out on something that’s available for a shorter period of time. It does create a good deal of disgruntlement when you put out a makeup release that sells out quickly and never returns. However, I also think this is a double-edged sword because offering the item for too long a period will have fans wondering how limited is limited? I know I’ve swooped in and grabbed a palette mighty fast when hearing it would be available for a limited only to become rather angry when it was around for a year or even two year’s after the release. Let’s face it sometimes we’re staying up until 2 AM to grab a palette and later realizing we wasted time doing so because it’s around for ever after.

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