Confession: Makeup

I feel the absolute best when I’m wearing minimal or no makeup. When I’m working of course I have to wear a full face of makeup. Who wants to have a makeup artist working on them that’s not wearing makeup? On my days off I prefer to go without complexion products and just wear SPF 30, eye shadow primer to combat my oily lids, and lipgloss. My cheeks are already on the pink side so I rarely need blush unless I’m wearing foundation. Sometimes I’ll add in tinted moisturizer and concealer if I need it. Sometimes even a little eyeliner or mascara. I hardly ever wear all of these products all at the same time unless I’m working or going out. It’s just my personal preference and I think I look better and more natural without a lot of makeup on.

Do you always wear a full face of makeup everyday? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Smashbox Limitless Long Wearing Lipgloss

I love lipgloss but I don’t love how most wear off quickly. New from Smashbox is Limitless Long Wearing Lipgloss, $21. This gloss promises to deliver up to six hours of wear while having a smooth texture. Like many products these days, Smashbox added vitamins to the formula (A, C, E, to be exact). As an added bonus, they threw in SPF 15 to protect your lips from the sun.

I was kind of skeptical. I’ve tried supposed “long wearing glosses” before and they were nothing but sticky, thick, and goopy. I am pleasantly surprised by the texture of these glosses. They actually feel nice on and aren’t excessively sticky. Keep in mind that for any gloss to be long wearing, you will encounter some stickiness and maybe a slightly thick texture. Gloss would slide off your lips otherwise (think about it: thin glosses disappear from lips almost instantly).

As for the wear factor? They held up pretty well against talking for extended amounts of time, rubbing my lips together, eating and drinking. I’m not sure if it lasted at least six hours on my lips because I did reapply it once during my “test” (out of habbit). I also think it left a little color behind when it wore off, almost like a very faint lip stain, which I liked a lot.

I have the color Boundless (the first gloss in the photo above), described as a “juicy melon.” I’d say it’s a bit more on the pink side. I do like the subtle gold shimmer and how the color seems to instantly brighten my face. As an additional bonus, there is an experation date on the tube as to when the SPF in the product expires. By all means, if you pass up the date and the gloss has not changed color, texture, or scent, go ahead and keep using it. Just remember to apply a lip balm with SPF before the gloss.

Nordies Anniversary Sale Part Two

A few posts back, I mentioned the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I was finally able to check it out and ended up not finding anything I liked. Maybe next year.

Secret Breakout Causes

 

Arg! I’m breaking out randomly on my face and chest! I haven’t broken out on my chest since I was 14 and it’s annoying. Not much in my skin care routine has changed, except for last week I ran out of my MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel Pads and I used a different sunscreen then usual. Those two could be the culprits, or it could also be something below. I’m banking on it being a little of everything.

• Did you know that not washing your pillow slips (or pillow cases…which ever you prefer to call them) regularly can cause or worsen acne? That’s because bacteria and oil from your skin and scalp can collect on them causing more breakouts. I usually wash mine twice a week but I kind of skipped a week. Icky, I know, I just got lazy. I made sure to toss them in the wash today.
• Leaning or resting your face on your hands can cause breakouts on your chin from oils in your skin. I try not to do this but sometimes it happens. I’m not breaking out around my jaw so I can nix this as one of my current acne causes.
• Not washing your makeup brushes regularly can be a big acne-causing culprit. I keep my makeup brushes super clean and I just washed every single brush I own last night (close to 90) for added insurance that none of my brushes are causing it. BTW: I keep seperate brushes for clients and seperate brushes for myself.
• I own a Clarisonic and absolutely adore it. Best thing ever! You are supposed to change the brush head every three months and wash it weekly with an anti-bacterial soap. Yeah, I kinda sorta forgot last week so I did it today.
• Picking and “popping” acne can also lead to more acne in surrounding areas. Bacteria can spread via your fingers, so if you must pick (please don’t-it could possibly leave behind a scar), always do it on a clean face with your fingers wrapped in tissue. I like to take a steaming hot towel to the area and leave it there for a minute or two. If it “pops” then yay! If not, I leave it alone because it’s not ready to go.

Caring For Your Makeup Brushes

 

If you use makeup brushes, they should be washed about once a week to help keep them clean, in good condition, and bacteria-free. Making sure your brushes are well cared for will help them to last longer. It doesn’t matter what brush cleaner you choose, the important thing is that you are washing them. Personally, I like using Sephora Purifying Brush Shampoo ($6 for 2 oz or $14 for 6. 75 oz) or Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleanser ($10-40 for sizes ranging from 3 oz to 24 oz), which is gentle enough to use on brushes. I highly recommend investing in a good brush cleanser (drug store vs high end is a personal preference) since they are meant specifically for brushes. In a pinch (say, you run out of brush cleaner) you can also use a mild facial cleanser.

To clean your brushes, you’ll need a sink with running lukewarm water, paper towels or a small clean towel (optional), a small bowl (optional) and your brush cleaner of choice. Rinse your brush with lukewarm water, then apply a small amount of brush cleaner in your bowl or in the palm of your hand. Gently massage brush cleaner through bristles and rinse. You’ll know your brush is clean when the water runs clear. I like using a small bowl (glass or stainless) so that I don’t get super crinkly hands (I have a lot of brushes). Gently wipe away excess water with a paper towel or clean towl and lay flat to dry.

***ALWAYS, always, always lay your brushes flat to dry on a counter or flat surface!Drying them bristle side up in a cup or brush holder will allow water to seep into the ferrule (the part of the brush that joins the bristles with the handle. This is usually made out of a metal) and can destroy your brush if it is glued. I like to lay mine on a paper towel or small clean towel to catch any extra water as my brushes dry. I also advise NOT to dry your brush upside down (bristles towards the ground, handle facing up) as this can cause your brush to dry in a funky shape.

If you have brushes with white bristles, you can do a few things to help ensure they don’t stain. If you have time after using them, use a spray on brush cleaner to help remove some of the color. Spray cleanser on a paper towel and wipe the brush until color is removed. You may have repeat this step a few times. Later on when you have time, follow the instructions above for weekly cleaning ASAP. You can, if your brush is synthetic (meaning the bristles are man-made and not from an animal), use Dawn Dish Soap to clean your brush (remember: this is only for synthetic brushes! This method may be too harsh on natural brushes). I’d advise to skip buying white brushes altogether as they are very much a pain to keep white. I own a few and try to only use them with light colored powders to avoid staining.

Be sure to store them in a place where the bristles won’t bend and will hold their shape. I like to use my brush belts and a brush roll to store them. Brush rolls are fantastic because they have individual slots to help keep your brushes separate from each other and organized. You can find decent priced brush rolls on etsy in cute patterns by doing a search. If you are keeping your brushes in an overstuffed makeup bag, the bristles may get bent. If this happens, reshape them after washing before laying them flat to dry.

DC’d: Murad Exfoliating Fruit Enzyme Mask

 

I just found out that Murad discontinued their exfoliating fruit enzyme mask (we’ll call it EFEM for short). It was my fave and soooo cheap ($10 for four packets). Murad recommended using the entire packet for one use, but there was so much product in it that it lasted me three uses. Applying it as recommended would also cause the product to drip off your face because there was too much on. It was a great exfoliator and a great value. It did tingle a bit like most enzyme masks do.

It’s been replaced with the Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask($22.50 for 6). I haven’t tried the Pomegranate version so I can’t tell you what it’s like. I can tell you that the packets look a bit smaller then the EFEM packets. You are getting two more packets with less product and paying $12.50 more for it. I don’t like that one bit so I will be on the hunt for another enzyme exfoliating mask.

Challenge to Myself

 

It just occurred to me that I have a ton of makeup that I don’t use or I’ve never even touched. I’m going to try to put these items to use in the next few weeks, that way maybe I’ll find new faves and I’ll have something to blog about.

I also challenge myself to go to the gym 4 days this week. We’ll see if that happens. If I fail, I can try again next week.

Oh! And finally find a recipe so I can cook the tofu that’s been in the fridge before it expires. I like tofu, I’ve just never cooked it myself before.

SF: Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs

The de Young Museum in San Francisco currently has an exhibition showing various items from King Tut’s tomb. It features artifacts from King Tut’s tomb as well as his ancestors (Note: there seem to be more of his ancestors items then of his on display). The museum advises that the self guided tour takes about 90 minutes. My mom and I finished in 45. There is an audio tour for $7 that you can follow, although we did just fine reading the signage for free.

General admission on weekdays for adults is $27.50 and $32.50 on weekends. For what it was, I felt the tickets were a little steep but you also get to view the rest of the museum. One of the most impressive pieces Tjuya’s gilded coffin (thought to be Tut’s grandmother). It was huge! And gold! There was also a fairly large head from a broken statue of Akhenaton (Tut’s father). The rest of the items were smaller, everyday objects like jars for ungents and oils (I was excited to see these after studying about the role of fragrance in ancient Egypt for my Fragrance Foundation certification). I was blown away by the amount of gold used, but then again, you wouldn’t expect anything less for a king and royal family.

I wouldn’t recommend going to the city just  for the exhibit. Plan a day around the city to make the most of your time. By purchasing a ticket, you will receive a Pharaoh’s Gold Card, which offers discounts and perks for various businesses around the city. There are quite a few restaurants that offer 10% off or a complimentary dessert with purchase of entree. There’s also tons to do in SF, and if you don’t want to venture too far from the museum, there are several things to do and see within the park: Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, Arboretum, and California Academy of Sciences, to name a few. Sutro Heights, the beach, and the zoo are also close to the park.

Read on below for information about handicap access at the museum and the exhibit.

Rant: Powder Breakage

I adore Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights highlight and bronzing powders and have owned at one time or another almost every one they have made. And every single one has crumbled into pieces after I use it up half way. I am not rough with my makeup and try to be extra gentle, especially when traveling to gigs. Things are packed into my rolling bag very neatly and anything breakable gets packed into a soft, padded case. Without fail, they still end up breaking! I’ve never, ever had a problem with one product from any other makeup line breaking like that. I still love them though.

Crabtree Purifying Seven Seas Bath Salts

Even though I rarely purchase Crabtree & Evelyn products, I do have a soft spot for everything C & E. My very first job when I was 18 was at the tiniest Crabtree store in the middle of a busy mall. It was holiday and the scent of their seasonal Noel potpourri and candles flooded the store. I still adore the gardener’s and la source lines and will buy my faves when they are on sale (rarely).

This huge jar (32 oz!) is filled with Crabtree & Evelyn’s Aromatherapy Purifying Seven Seas bath salts, $35. Designed to cleanse the skin of impurities, it is also conditioning thanks to hydrating essential oils. The scent is fresh and citrus with a bit of mint.

I feel like this salt might be doing something but I’m a skeptic when it comes to things that promise to “detoxify.” It is relaxing and I like that the salt actually dissolves completely, unlike other bath salts I’ve tried that just end up at the bottom of the tub. The directions for use include soaking for 20 minutes, which I just can’t do. I don’t have the patience to lay in the tub for that long and my water usually turns cool. This was a decent bath product but I probably wouldn’t purchase this again because there are better out there.