Review: Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist is the kind of product that just about anyone would want to use. This luxurious toning mist features the relaxing scent of rosewater. It restores moisture to the skin and is great for normal to combination skin types. However, if you have oily skin, that doesn’t mean you cannot use it. Summer time is the perfect time for a product like this. On hot summer days place the bottle in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes and then spray lightly on the face to refresh the skin. This mist is best used after Daily Exfoliating Cream (http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-jurlique-daily-exfoliating-cream.html) and before Herbal Recovery Gel (http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-jurlique-herbal-recovery-gel.html).

Key Benefits:

• Balances the skin to restore and hydrate.
• Leaves skin feeling refreshed and soothed.
• It provides natural antioxidant protection.

Ingredients:

• Marshmallow and glycerin soften and hydrate the skin
• Rose and aloe vera soften, soothe and calm the skin.
• Grapefruit seed provides anti-oxidant protection.

Why do I like this product? Personally I have not been a big fan of “toners” in the past. Most claim to restore the skin to its normal pH level, provide many benefits that sound too fake to be true (like getting collagen into the skin) and in general just don’t seem to be necessary. The Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, however is a nice little product that doesn’t make any big claims. I looked at the reviews on the Jurlique website and they were all positive. I even looked at the reviews on the SEPHORA website. Again, all positive. I used it myself. This product is very refreshing to the skin. I loved it after I used a peel. Calmed my skin immediately. Also, I mentioned the refrigerator trick for hot days. Rosewater has been known for hundreds of years to be calming, as is aloe vera. Glycerin is a good humectant.

This toning mist has top notch ingredients and great reviews. My review is adding to this list. I LOVE it! Also ,just to let you know: it was voted one of ELLE Magazine’s Very Best Essential Beauty Products. To get the best use of this., spray this on after you cleanse and exfoliate, then let it set in a little bit. Place your moisturizer on top, it helps seal the spray in with the lotion/cream. This product is recommended for normal/combination skin types but any skin type can benefit from the lovely ingredients in this mist. Rosewater Balancing Mist comes in a glass bottle 3.3 oz./100 ml for $22.00. You can select the Luxury Size for $34 ($44 Value)! It is available at www.jurlique.com, www.sephora.com, www.ulta.com, www.beauty.com, SEPHORA and Ulta stores.

(This product was provided by consideration)

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Review: LORAC Breakthrough Performance Foundation

After I tried LORAC’s Natural Peformance foundation and loved it so much (http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-stuff-you-needmay-10-2013.html) I decided that I needed to try LORAC’s Breakthrough Performance Foundation too, because it advertises flawless coverage. I love this brand and feel that it is highly underrated. Carol Shaw puts so much thought into her products. The quality is amazing. I am always impressed with everything I purchase from LORAC.

The Breakthrough Performance Foundation is foundation is Oil-Free, SPF 14 and has an SMS Complex that helps to prevent aging. The formula is supposed to leave the skin hydrated, the ingredients also help to smooth the skin and they help to rejuvenate it to make it more radiant. The SMS Complex counteracts the signs of aging by increasing cell turnover, and promoting the skin’s natural ability to produce collagen. When the skin produces more collagen it’s stronger, more radiant and beautiful. All ages and skin types can definitely use this foundation. The sunscreen is a combination of a chemical sunscreen, Octinoxate and a mineral sunscreen, Titanium Dioxide.

The coverage is a sheer-medium to high coverage finish depending on how it is applied. Layer the foundation with a sponge or a foundation brush for the best coverage. I use a Beautyblender sponge and stipple to obtain the best coverage on my face. One thing I am disappointed in is that it only comes in 7 colors! I use SMS1 (Porcelain-Yellow). The color is good for me, I find that LORAC foundation colors match my skin pretty well. However if you are very dark I think you will be out of luck, this foundation only goes from the very light to the darker medium shades.

 

In the photographs below I am wearing LORAC Breakthrough Performance Foundation and yes, you can see how very pale I am. I think maybe I need to go for a spray tan! As you can see though, the color match it perfect, which is a rarity. Each time I have used this foundation it has worn very well. I am not surprised, LORAC products are high quality products. I cannot say anything about its anti-aging qualities, that would take having to use it a very long time and I would have to use nothing else but the foundation as my skincare. But, I don’t buy foundation for that. Nor do I buy it for sunscreen. I buy foundation for a couple of reasons: I want the color to match my face, I want it to have variable coverage and I want it to wear all day long if need be. Does this foundation fit those qualifications? Yes, it does.

LORAC Breakthrough Performance Foundation is (1.0 oz./30 ml) $39.00. It is available via www.loraccosmetics.com, www.sephora.com, www.ulta.com, www.beauty.com, SEPHORA stores and Ulta stores. My only gripe is that there are only 7 colors in this foundation, otherwise it is a great score!

 

 

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Follow My Blog with bloglovin'

Since Google Reader will disappear on July 1st, Google Friend Connect will be gone too (or there will be no need for it anymore). So I am inviting you to join my blog on bloglovin. There you can find all of your favorite blogs and they are nicely organized. See you on bloglovin'!

Marie

Review: Evologie Skincare for Acne

Acne. It can be the bane of a person’s whole existence. Mild acne. Moderate acne. Severe acne. All of these can cause someone to feel so bad about themselves that he or she will not associate with others. There are many ways to treat acne. It is important to consider first the cause of acne and then work on an effective treatment. The causes of acne are hormones, accumulation of dead skin cells, sebum and bacteria. The effects of acne are many: redness, scarring and pitted skin. The most significant effects are poor self-esteem and lack of confidence. Even when someone is in their 40’s, that person can develop acne. Hormones play a huge, if not the most important part of that process.

Evologie has developed a routine that treats acne with a gentle yet effective solution of products. Their Clear Skin System contains three products: the Stay Clear Cleanser, Intensive Blemish Serum and a Stay Clear Cream that work synergistically to keep skin clear and free of blemishes, blackheads and pimples. The Evologie Skincare System works for both teens and adults and it is great for any ethnicity. Developed by a team of doctors, this system has been shown by clinical results to heal blemishes and acne breakouts faster than other routines. There is also a marked decrease in post-acne scarring and discoloration.

Each product contains a patent-pending YS3 COMPLEX that is way ahead of any other acne routine on the market today. This complex is a revolutionary delivery system that addresses the causes of acne and the complications of blemishes and pimples. To prevent repeated breakouts is is essential to deliver the acne fighting agents deep within the skin’s layers but the keep the skin hydrated and to heal the skin. This patent-pending acne fighting solution was created by the research and collaboration of Dr. Robert Nagel, Dr. Gary Weinberger, and Chemist, Richard A. Brown.

Stay Clear Cleanser:

This non-drying formula contains advanced anti-bacterial agents and keratolytics to unclog pores, remove oil, debris and bacteria from the skin while keeping the pH level balanced. Lycopene, an anti-oxidant, neutralizes free-radicals that damage the skin. Chamomile (to calm the skin) and honey (a natural humectant) leave skin feeling soft and moisturized. The Stay Clear Cleanser also contains salicylic acid, lactobacillus extract and willow bark extract to exfoliate and clear the skin. It also contains the YS3 COMPLEX. The cleanser is non-drying and ideal for all skin types. This cleanser is good for women, men and teens. Recommended use is twice daily to clear the skin of all bacteria and extraneous debris. This product is not tested on animals. I love this cleanser! It’s not drying at all. I have been using it regularly now and find that of any acne cleanser this is more like a regular “cleanser”. It takes makeup off very well (don’t use on the eyes of course) and leaves my face feeling fresh, clean and soft. (5.0 Fl Oz /150 mL). $32.00

Intensive Blemish Serum:

Treat blemishes with this doctor developed, patent-pending Intensive Blemish Serum that goes deep into the follicle and gets to the source of the problem. Most pimple treatments sit on the surface, this treatment will go deep and deliver natural ingredients deep within your skin. It rapidly clears blemishes and pimples, it prevents new breakouts, helps correct hyperpigmentation, is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, oil-free, non-drying to the skin, is alcohol-free, great for women, men and teens, helps with mild scarring and dark spots. This great serum contains azelaic acid, salicylic acid, tea tree oil, willow bark extract, chamomile, and arginine. It also contains the YS3 COMPLEX. I used this on a couple of hormonal breakouts that erupted my chin, and poof! They were gone overnight. Not only had the redness and blemish pretty much disappeared, but the debris in the core of the actual blemish had been cleaned out too. This is important. If the core of the blemish isn’t taken care of, the blemish (pimple) returns. It is important to take care of the bacteria, dead skin cells in the follicle and the sebum too. (0.5 Fl Oz / 15 mL ) $35.00

Stay Clear Cream:

To keep skin feeling soft, moisturized and to prevent future blemishes , use the Stay Clear Cream. This cream works to intensify the skin’s healing power. The patent-pending YS3 COMPLEX system works with natural ingredients to enhance their absorption deep below the skin's surface to where they are needed most. Moisturizers, antioxidants and collagen boosters keep skin protected and balanced. It contains: azelaic acid, arginine, salicylic acid, squalane, kojic acid, licorice root, chamomile, willow root extract, hyaluronic acid, Vitamin E, beta glucan, and other important ingredients that work to heal and moisturize the skin. I find that this cream is great for the spring/summer when my skin turns more oily. Although all skin types can use this, oily skins in general will benefit greatly from this if there is a tendency to breakout. This is a very lightweight cream and I highly recommend this for day or night. There isn’t sunscreen in it, so I would use a sunscreen in my foundation instead. Stay Clear Cream is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and fragrance-free. Because of the ingredients in this cream, it is great at preventing acne. As with the other Evologie products, it is ideal for women, men and teens. What I like about this product is that it is gentle, yet effective. Azelaic acid is a great acne fighter. Now, I am not sure what the patent-pending complex is, but I do know that the two acids in this some of the best acne prevention ingredients on the market 1.0 Fl Oz / 30 mL $62.00

Until June 30th, 2013, Evologie is offering a Clear Skin Kit, which includes all three of the above products for $39.00 ($80.00 value).  For this you get a 5 oz./150ml Stay Clear Cleanser, Intensive Blemish Serum 0.5oz/15ml and Stay Clear Cream 0.23oz/7ml. Personally, I think this is a great deal and a good way to try out this system.

Evologie products can be purchased via www.evologie.com.

(These products were sent for consideration.)

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Review: Maybelline’s Color Tattoo Pure Pigments

Look what I found the other day in the supermarket! Maybelline has come out with some great long lasting color pigments. There were numerous colors, I purchased 4 of them. They are called Color Tattoo Pure Pigments. They were $6.99 each.

I wore three of these pigments yesterday and they wore pretty well all day long. The only color I had problems with fading was the Potent Purple. Purple pigments, like blues, tend to fade fast, so I am not surprised there. Boldly Brazen is a peachy cream color, almost flesh toned.  As you can see from the swatch photograph below, it blends into my skin and is barely seen. Then next there is Improper Copper, a beautiful shimmery dark copper tone. I also purchased Potent Purple, because I love purple and saw this gorgeous true shimmery purple color. Finally, there is Never Fade Jade, a shimmery teal.

In the swatch photo below I took each color and first applied them dry and then wet. There is definitely a huge difference in how they look dry and wet. Dry the colors look like they can barely be seen, drab, just not very pigmented. Then I applied them wet to my arm and they look completely different. The colors have more shimmer, pigmentation and they look like they have some pizzazz! When I wore them on my eye they looked okay, I just had problems with the purple, as I mentioned. It faded half-way through the day.

(swatches of the Color Tattoo Pure Pigments: Barely Brazen, Improper Copper, Potent Purple and Never Fade Jade)

Below is the look I did with the Color Tattoo Pure Pigments:

For the look I did here I used Improper Copper in the crease and outer edge of the lid. On the lid and under the eye I used Potent purple. Under the brow I used Barely Brazen. I lined the upper lid with Hello Kitty Pen Pal felt tip liner in Purple Balloon. On my lashes I used SEPHORA’s Outrageous Volume mascara in black. For the cheeks I used MAC’s Cream Soda blush (light peach) and on the lips I tried this new lip gloss from Rimmel that has a lot of pigment, called Show Off lip lacquer in Luna (bright coral). When I used these on my eye I used them dry and I was able to get some pretty good pigment out of them but as I mentioned the purple faded half-way through the day.

I am somewhat disappointed. I know these are drugstore cosmetics, but Maybelline is the top of the line of the drugstore brands now. My opinion is that if you are going to buy these, then you will need to use them wet to get any pigment. So, I am not giving them the full thumbs up review, more like a halfway “meh”. I will say that the color selection is great on these though and there is 1.5g of pigment in the jar, that is a lot for the price. And I will also suggest that if you have a sealer, use that too! If you have purchased any of these, I would love to hear what YOU think!

 

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Review: Maybelline Fit-Me Shine Free Foundation

A couple of days ago I was doing a rare supermarket trip (I am disabled and don’t shop much). I always investigate the cosmetics aisle. Luckily enough I found a few new items from Maybelline. One of them was the new Fit-Me Shine Free Foundation Stick. A few other things, to come in other reviews are: Color Tattoo 24Hour Pure Pigments and Master Smoky eyeliners. Needless to say I grabbed all of these items up! The foundation was not too expensive, retailing for $7.69.

First of all, I am in shock. Maybelline has finally come out with a foundation that matches the color of my skin exactly. I have color 110 Porcelain. I usually wear this color but it is normally a little bit darker and has more yellow in it. This time around the color matches my skin better.  As you can see from the product and the swatch below, it looks pretty light (my hand actually gets some sun because that is the driving hand and I take medicine that makes my skin get absorb sunlight more than usual). The core of the foundation has an Anti-Shine core (mattifying complex that prevents shine). There is no sunscreen in this, that I can find information on. They must advertise this on the package and I don’t see it, so I don’t believe there is any at all. That is a good thing actually. It is better to use your own. Especially if you have problems with shine. The coverage is medium and is buildable. In fact it is quite good! I just roll it around on my face and then use my Beautyblender to stipple it around. I even use it as a concealer under my eyes, but I don’t need much concealer lately so don’t feel that it is that heavy of a coverage.

I’ve worn the Fit-Me Shine Free Foundation stick for a couple of days now and I did notice that my face was not as shiny as usual. Now, if you were to slather your face with a heavy sunscreen and use this, it is likely that you would experience some shine. That is a given. However, if you are looking for a foundation that would keep the T-Zone pretty matte, this definitely fits the bill. Drugstore foundations have come a long way. They are not the yellow, nasty ones of old that our grandmothers used to wear. The technology that goes into them is much more sophisticated than what it used to be. This foundation does matte the T-Zone nicely. It is the responsibility of the wearer to make sure she is not using heavy moisturizing products or she will not be happy. Note below my experiment: day 1 a light moisturizing sunscreen, matte all day long. On day 2 I tried a heavier sunscreen and it definitely had a little bit more shine in the T-Zone (within a couple of hours) but was still fairly matte.

 

(left: Day 1 wearing Fit-Me Shine Free Foundation. right: Day 2: I decided to try a heavier moisturizer underneath and see the results. A little bit more shine but still matte enough)

This product kept me matte all day long. The price is excellent. I bought this at a supermarket but I am almost 100% positive it will be available at mass drugstores very soon. I find this to be a nice product from Maybelline. Remember: don’t go wearing heavy sunscreens with this and you should be fine. But, if you suffer from issues with T-Zone problems this should be a no-brainer for you anyway. That is my $0.02.

 

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Elizabeth's Clean Remedy: So good for you, it's a remedy; not a chore.

Lately I have been coming upon the best places while hunting around Twitter. One day I happened upon this lovely site, Elizabeth’s Clean Remedy, and thought it merited further investigation. Elizabeth had a number of issues such as chronic eczema, dryness, allergies, respiratory problems, etc. She started her site after a few years of living a lifestyle committed to organic and healthy choices. She began yoga, exercise, the Paleo diet and avoided as many chemicals/toxins as possible.

The products she was using helped to cure her skin issues, so she started to carry theses on her her site. Elizabeth’s Clean Remedy now has a full lineup of great products that Elizabeth knows will work. These are American made, products with ingredients from organic farms. The products have to be “free of phlatates, parabens & sulfates, with few ingredients as possible while still being effective”, according to Elizabeth.

Some of the lines that she carries are: SW Basics of Brooklyn, Pangea Organics, Lulu Organics, Sibu Beauty, Ozuna Essence of Life and Kelly Teegarden. I have tried many items from Pangea Organics before, in fact I have a number or their items in my skincare chest right now. I love this line and highly recommend it. The items are well made and smell divine. Pangea Organics make some  of the greatest masks.

I was lucky enough to get to try the SW Basics of Brooklyn Exfoliant*  I had heard great things about this. This exfoliant is nice because it has only 3 ingredients: organic oat flour, organic almond flour and sea salt. SW Basics of Brooklyn is an up and coming brand that is all natural and made in small batches. The items have only a few ingredients in them. The exfoliant is awesome. It comes in a 4 oz./118 ml. glass jar for $28.00, reminiscent of a mason jar, only smaller. The oat and almond flour inside is ground until it is very fine and there isn’t any rough plastic micro-bead anywhere to be found here. Yay!!! To use this, take a small amount of the powder in your hand wet with water to make a paste and rub gently around the face in circular motions. This product leaves the skin feeling very soft and smooth. The exfoliation that you get with this is excellent, without any need for anything harsh that is often used in many commercial preparations. It is great for any kind of complexion, especially sensitive skin. I like this a lot and feel that it is a great exfoliant for anyone, even those on Accutane!

Right now I have my eye on the Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil. I am a big proponent of using oils on the skin, even on oily skins. They are great emollients and humectants and help keep the skin free of wrinkles. Many of these oils are full of great anti-oxidants.

Elizabeth’s Clean Remedy is also on Facebook! She posts health and wellness information on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethsCleanRemedy?ref=ts&fref=ts. You can also find her on Twitter: @ECleanRemedy. Her main goal is to make healthy beauty accessible to everyone. The prices for her products are all kept under $50.00, so natural beauty is definitely affordable and attainable to all. Stop by and visit Elizabeth’s Clean Remedy, you will encounter a new world of beauty!

*(This product was sent for consideration).

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