Nighttime BB Cream? What?

Being a Birchbox subscriber, I love trying all the new product samples they send me!
I'd heard fantastic things about the brand Dr Jart+ and was eager to try one of their BB creams. So when the option to choose my sample came up, I chose the Dr Jart+ for my May Birchbox because they offered a product called Dr Jart+ BB Night Beauty Balm.

photo from Birchbox.com

I like the concept of this: a nighttime BB cream that's light, especially during hot summer nights where even the thought of using a nighttime moisturizer causes my skin to slick up faster than a paper towel blotting a piece of pizza.

But this has color/tint. That was a mistake.

If I'm supposed to sleep in it, I don't want to wake up and see a smeared version of my face on my pillowcase. It's just a disturbing thought.

And let's talk about that tint: it made my face a completely different color than my neck and the rest of me. As in, I looked like I'd tried to self tan my face. In order to actually wear this product, I would have to use powder or tinted moisturizer to color correct it, defeating the purpose of being a "sleep time" product. Granted, I'm on the cusp of "ghostly fair" skinned; so most self-adjusting products end up all kinds of wrong on me. But still, I wouldn't touch this unless you are warmer/yellow toned and tan easily; because if you are pale? The potential of the dreaded mask look; it's pretty much guaranteed.

I will say that I did like the texture, it was very light and almost felt like a serum. If there was a colorless option, I would probably have purchased it for when the temperature's climb.

What's in the Box?? (October 2013)

Guys, I've been meaning to confess, I've been a subscriber to Birchbox for a few months now.

Voraciously watching my email for my notification of "your box has shipped!" and checking and double checking the tracking link until my box arrives and I can tear into it like Christmas Morning. IT'S SO FUN!

I haven't been too excited about any of the boxes, some of the products have been fine. The random nail polish, the random lip color, etc. None have really caught my attention quite as well as two of the five products I received for October.

My October Birchbox (photo from Birchbox.com)

photo from Birchbox.com

I'm familiar with The Balm Cosmetics, having purchased a concealer pot from them several years ago and never hitting pan no matter how much I used it. Which, is incredible. So even though I knew their products were great and affordable, I never really purchased more.

I might actually buy this when I run out!

The Balm Staniac is a little tube, about the size of a cotton swab, of cherry colored jelly with a doe-foot applicator that is easily used as a lip stain or cheek stain.  Yes the tube is small for a price point of $17, BUT it travels better than the fantastic lip and cheek stain BeneTint by BeneFit. (Which is widely recognized as the best lip & cheek stain)

photo from Birchbox.com

I'm a big fan of lip balm, BIG fan. From my first swipe of a LipSmacker, I was IN. But ChapStick, never really was appealing to me. Too waxy, smelled weird, etc.

This little beauty, ChapStick Hydration Lock, was a special "find" from Birchbox. Which means it wasn't really a part of the monthly box, but IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN! 

 Reluctantly, I opened the package and swiped on the product and was instantly impressed! My lips felt smoother but not waxed over (a huge complaint of mine for ChapStick products) and they looked smoother! I've been battling with a super dry and flaky patch on my lower lip for weeks and the ChapStick Hydration Lock completely obliterated the look of it! And did so for at LEAST 4 hours. Which to me, is an eternity when it comes to lip balm reapplication!

The product states that the "flavor" is Vanilla Creme, but I couldn't smell or taste anything. I'm probably desensitized by my use of the EOS lip balms. 

There is no price point on Birchbox.com for this product since it's a "find", but I'm sure you could find it in your local drugstore or box store.

I can't wait to see what's in my next Birchbox!!

The Essentials: A Solid BB Cream and a GREAT brush? What a concept!

I've been a fan of the BB Cream, specifically SmashBox BB Cream in Light. So when a solid/cream form of my favorite almost-foundation I was desperate to get my little hands on it!

Enter in Too Faced Air-Buffed BB Creme Complete Coverage Makeup! It's got the lightweight feel of a BB Cream and tinted moisturizer (once applied), but the coverage is so much better! It's build-able but still feels like there's barely anything on my skin! And you can't argue with the result:

On the LEFT: My bare face. On the RIGHT: My face with the BB Creme!

You can see the major difference! My skin looks smoother, more uniform without looking flat. The redness is virtually non-existent with the Too Faced BB Creme! AWESOME! The color that matched my skin was Vanilla Glow.

The Air-Buffed BB Creme comes with a little brush that clicks directly into the top of the cap. Convenient? Yes! Did I want to use it all the time? Nope. It'll do in a pinch, but with regular wear, I was going to need something more substantial.  To which I purchased a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush from Ulta and could not be happier. The brush is terrific, I highly recommend spending the $8.99 and picking one up. (Actually I bought 2! The price is so great, and you never can have enough good brushes!)

The Expert Face brush is synthetic fiber shaped in a short dome which makes applying creamy products absolutely effortless. Building the coverage of the BB Creme was easy; I just stippled some of the product where I needed the extra help then blended further out. The finish is a soft matte, so I  could set with a translucent powder or let it dry down on it's own. Voila! 

The BB Creme retails for $39 (U.S.) and comes in a small range of colors, only 5 to date that I could find. Which isn't the best, but it's what's happening right now. If the product sells well I hope the color options will increase. 

Recommendation: I say go check it out! Find your nearest retailer that carries Too Faced and see how the Air-Buffed BB Creme works with your skin! I purchased the products myself, and I love them!

Anti-Frizz: When "Lightweight" is a GOOD thing.

I've been using the Frizz-Ease Sheer Solution for close to a month.
It's a bi-phasel system (two liquids in the bottle that you have to shake to activate/mix) that you use on wet or damp hair.
Here's their words: "This non-greasy, shake-to-activate formula fights frizz without weighing your hair down"
Here's my words: That's pretty accurate actually! I haven't noticed that much frizz fight, but I shower and wash my hair at night (most nights) and go to bed with it wet so no matter what I use (short of axl grease) I'm going to have some frizz in my morning hair. That being said, the texture, is extremely light and distributes quickly and as near as I can tell, evenly. I've used thick, sticky frizz fighters before with terrific results in anti-frizz but at the expense of my hair looking greasy. I'm happy that there's an alternative in the Sheer Solution. It doesn't have that heavy silicone feel the original John Frieda products have; so I would definitely recommend it for those who suffer from thin and fine locks.

This product was provided for review via BzzAgent. So I have no idea what the price point is or is going to be.

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Red. Yellow. GO!

Personally I don't suffer from Rosacea, but it's a common enough problem that I feel comfortable posting about it without first hand suffer-knowledge of the issue.

That patchy redness (mainly found on caucasion skintones) can make the search for correct foundation an ordeal. While the color looks right on your lower cheeks (most commonly where foundation color is gauged) and jawline; when the foundation is applied over the reddened T-zone and cheeks, the colors can turn anywhere from ashen to bright pink and that is a major problem!

If you suffer from rosacea or require other color correction; you may have seen various creamy or powdered pallettes of dark beige, lemon yellow, pale green, soft lavendar, etc. However the texture of those sometimes make using them less than optimal. Too heavy a balm or cream and the skin can look dry and cakey. Same goes for powder; a powder is used with a fluffy brush normally used over an existing foundation/tinted moisturizer, however if you go overboard, you can't undo it. I don't recommend color correting with powder unless you're already really comfortable with it. Now, that doesn't mean the pallettes that are meant to brighten with the color correction aren't terrific! Those are great because the pigments aren't high (meaning the color isn't saturated and you won't end up with a green streak if you go heavy-handed) so you get a diffused color correction as opposed to the stright purple or green or yellow powders themselves.

photo from loraccosmetics.com

My favorite product to recommend is LORAC Oil-Free Neutralizer for under foundation color correction. Used with a sponge, preferably damp (fingers or a brush wouldn't be optimal because you'll end up using too much product) a small amount of this yellowy-greeny liquid can be stippled onto just the red zones on the face. Once the neutralizer is dry (only takes a minute or two), you may use the foundation of your choice over it. Using light stippling (as all liquid foundations should be applied) you can blend blend blend your foundation on and the results are remarkable. The Neutralizer helps create a better color base for your foundation to lay on resulting in a better coverage, which is the whole point of foundation. And since it's oil-free, there's no fear for breaking out or irritating the skin.

Neutralizer can be used as a contour makeup as well. But use with caution! It may look like a light cream-colored foundation in the bottle, but when it hits the skin it is definitely a greeny-yellowy liquid. It's not meant to be used on it's own unless your skin is so fair that you can get away with it.

Bottom line: if you suffer or know someone who battles with rosacea, the LORAC Oil-Free Neutralizer is worth a try. You can get your hands on it at Ulta and Sephora and see for yourself. You can also order it online at LORAC Cosmetics, Sephora, Ulta, and of course Amazon.com. The retail price is $30 US but the .90fl oz bottle lasts a long time. One pump is almost always too much. Little goes a long way with this one!

Even the best look has got to go!

Down the drain of course!
You never, and I mean never want to sleep in your makeup. I don't care how "natural" it is, don't sleep in it! Especially your eye makeup. I've long grimaced at bi-phase makeup removers (the kind you have to shake-shake-shake) but I've found one that meets my demands. 1. Affordable and available. 2. Does the job. 3. Doesn't burn my eyes.

Enter in L'Oreal Paris Clean Artiste Waterproof & Long Wearing Eye Makeup Remover.

Photo courtesy of lorealparisusa.com

A little shake to activate, a cotton round (or cotton ball, whatever your preference) and you are ready to take off the art you beat on your eyes. It takes off even the most stubborn waterproof eye shadow, liner or mascara, including the marvelous CoverGirl 24 hour Mascara I wrote about previously. It takes a little swiping, but the effort in removal isn't nearly as difficult as putting on the makeup in the first place!

There was a little residue, but it was nothing the Baby Shampoo Tip I wrote about couldn't make quick work of.

Even with my contacts on, I didn't experience any burning. At all! I was shocked! Normally with a bi-phase remover there's some sort of burning or irritation, however mild. I thought maybe I wasn't getting all the makeup off, but nope. I got it all and my eyes were perfectly fine. Major points!

The cost varies, the suggested retail price is $6.99 US, I believe I got mine for under $6. Now, there's little to no excuse not to take off that makeup!

Hydration Happiness

Heavy moisturizers. They come in jars and I've avoided them for most of my life. They have such a negative reputation. The greasy, heavy feeling, no thanks!

However I was looking for a moisturizer with a little more oomph and I came across Abyssine Cream Plus by Kiehls. On the pricey side, at $48 US, however this little sucker is fantastic!!

Photo straight from Kiehls.com, here's their deets:

•Anti-wrinkle defense cream to help reduce the signs of aging and protect skin from external damage.
•Abyssine, a survival molecule which thrives under the extreme conditions in hydrothermal ocean vents, helps soothe and protect skin. 
•Helps minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while defending skin from free radical damage.
•Dermatologist-tested and suitable for sensitive skin.

Super. But what does it mean??

What it means is a small amount works itself effortlessly into the skin with no greasy afterfeel!! Skin feels hydrated and soft without the weight associated with most "creams". I didn't have to wait for it to absorb to begin my makeup. The texture is dense but whipped. Which doesn't make sense but when you feel it for yourself, you'll see how quickly it spreads and absorbs into your skin. It smells terrific too!  Not flowery, but light and fresh.

Have I noticed any difference in fine lines or wrinkles? No, but I wasn't looking for them in the first place really. I wanted something that felt good and had value. I found it. A little dip with a Q-Tip and away I go! *Little known fact, you never want to touch your jarred creams, like eye cream. The oils from your hands can break down the product when it's left in the jar.*

If you're starting to look at your moisturizer and think, "What have you done for me lately??"; do yourself a favor and get yourself some Abyssine Cream Plus by Kiehl's. It's perfect for day or night or both! The beauty of Kiehl's is if you can get into a store (A Kiehl's Store or department store like Nordstroms) , they will almost always let you have a sample to take home. If they don't have any samples, you can open the tester and touch the product yourself which I always recommend. 

So there's the little gem that's been making my face feel amazing for a little over a year (one jar lasted me about 6 months!). I couldn't be happier with it!