Thinking Pink(ing)

The title "Think Pink" popped into my head, but I'm pretty sure that's been taken by, like, Victoria's Secret, or someone. 

I regularly read advice that a woman's best daily-wear lipstick shade is the one that matches her natural skin color, but better.  This makes me scratch my head a little, and I admittedly haven't found the right shade that makes me think my lips are simply "better" with a quick swipe. 

Now, I'm not quite 100% sure (92%?), but I think I've found a shade that can closely embody that statement, so I wanted to share.  And - it's under $8!  

I found the company Flower Beauty while reading a Lucky magazine a month or two ago.  Drew Barrymore was featured on the cover, and the article inside was mainly about her new beauty line and the philosophy behind it - Flower Beauty.  In some of the products highlighted, a lipstick was called out as the perfect pink.  I'm a sucker for pink, and I'm a sucker for inexpensive, so I went on a hunt for this lip color (LS2) Petal Kiss.  I say "hunt" because my local WalMarts (the retailer for Flower) have typically ravaged makeup aisles that look like toddlers were unleashed on them after being sugared up for hours.  My store was out of stock for over a month, but I thankfully found the product across town at another location (and have since realized I'm pretty late to the party, as Makeup Alley was already abuzz with this product).  The color is pretty, and it's "pretty natural," too.  That is to say, on my fair, pink-and-yellow-undertoned skin with dark hair, this color looks like my lips...but maybe a little better. Can this be what all the makeup advice articles are talking about? For me, it's the closest I've come so far, and I'm happy to buy something new at such a fair price. 

For a stronger pop of color, and perfect for summer, is Senna Cosmetics' Chic Pink gloss.  I fell in love with this immediately while at Vanity Cosmetics.  I've always liked Senna's glosses - their wear is long-lasting (albeit a touch sticky, but hey - there's where the long-lasting comes from), and this color instantly brightened my face.  I could see from a quick look around at the other people in the salon wearing Chic Pink that it was universally flattering and really brightened the face.  

Either of the two products would be a no-brainer for summer lips, and both are so versatile, they'd work with almost any coloring.  

Cheers to a beautiful summer and gorgeous lips! 

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics 

beauty - treating an oil slick

I wrote last time (and sorry it’s been so long!) about cleansing an oil slick – aka my face, and possibly your face, too, if you fall into the interesting profile of “combination skin that’s probably not really all that combination.”   After cleansing with an oil-based product at night, as I’ve now been doing for a few months, I do what I once thought was unthinkable – add more oil.  Argan oil, to be exact.  And not the fancy-pants argan oil that’s $45/bottle at Sephora.  There’s not anything wrong with that, and if you’ve got the money, buy it.  I don’t, and I find with essential oils, their core essence does the trick juuuuust fine before tons of price-hiking additives & packaging come into play.

I’ve recently been using Acure Organic 100% Certified Organic Moroccan Argan Oil instead of my previous chemical-ridden, heavy duty night treatments, like retinoids.  I take a generous dropper-full, probably about 5 drops worth, rub lightly in between my hands, and press the oil into my face in gentle patting motions.  I add an extra drop to for my eyelids and eyebrows, as I struggle with eczema in this area of my face (yeah! for eyebrow dandruff!).  I rub the leftover oil into my hands for softer skin and cuticles, and that’s it - done.  I let it sink in for a quick minute before connecting with my pillow, but I don’t think it’d stain a pillow, anyway. 

While I understand straight-up oil is scary, like I mentioned with the oil-based cleanser, pure oils on the skin have the opposite effect of what one may fear.  Instead of furthering the oil slick, they can work to balance skin while eliminating dryness and controlling oil. 

Natural oils are having their moment right now – check out this article on Huffington Post that explains their glory way better than my feeble attempt.

If you’re still leery, that’s understandable, but start with the brand I mention above.  At less than $13, even if you find it’s not for you, it’s not too bad of a loss.  

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics

beauty - cleansing an oil slick

I've always thought the term "combination skin" is a joke.  Since that's the category I allegedly fit into, I  often find it maddening that I suspect many companies don't really know what to do with combo skin.  I guess they make hydrating products that won't dry me out?  I'm pretty sure being dubbed combination skin is the beauty industry's way to say "Bummer. Sucks for you."  

Over time, I've come to find that combination skin needs the TLC that comes from the most unlikely of places - more oil (aka moisture).  Adding selective but intense moisture to combo skin not only helps the dry patches, but it also helps balance the oily patches, helping them to neutralize.  

But, mercy, it's completely counter-intuitive to put heaps of oil on top of skin that's mostly already oily! 

To start my slick skincare journey, I first dabbled in Shu Eumura Cleansing Oil.  I was an idiot, and I tried this product while traveling for work - never a good time to change one's skincare routine, but hey - free samples travel well, so I gave it a whirl.  And....cystic acne.  Fancy! Came home, switched back, got a facial or two, and swore off cleansing oils.  

Then Dermstore sent me their adorable little sample packets with a purchase recently, and inside was DHC Cleansing Oil.  I'm just too much of a sucker for free products, so I gave it a try and crossed my fingers.  

And I was completely pleased with the results.  And I still am.  

I know and completely understand this product has mixed reviews, and it tends to fall into the "love or hate" category, and that can scare off buyers.  The horror stories are pretty bad.  But! The success stories, of which I'm one, are worth getting a small bottle of this and giving it a try.  Overall, I've found that cleansing and removing make up with an oil-based cleanser helps balance my skin - both oily parts and dry. And, it's a great feeling knowing that my face is seriously clean and makeup-free when I go to bed.  Deeply cleansed pores alone helps skin's tone, texture, and clarity. 

Added bonus? When I switched away from my previous glycolic cleanser to the DHC, I reduced a bit of the scarring that popped/picked breakouts caused due to the ingredients in glycolics.  

One more bonus! The DHC can be used as a makeup remover for stubborn eye makeup, too, so just dab an extra drop onto ring fingers and gently massage onto eyes.  You can save on whatever eye makeup remover you're currently using, or at least use a lot less of it. 

Note - I use the DHC once a day - at night.  As it's designed to be a deep cleanser, there's little need to use it in the morning, too. 

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics

beauty & the budget - drugstore foundation

I had two things against me when I read that CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous was a good drugstore foundation.  One, I've hated CoverGirl since I was about 12 and their lipgloss disappointed me by drying out my lippies.  Two, I ventured into the world of drugstore foundation with Revlon ColorStay about six months ago, and the end result was cystic acne so bad, I had to buy expensive CoverBlend by Exuviance, which is basically medical-grate, tattoo-covering foundation, just to hide the horror caused by Revlon.  

Thus, I wasn't thrilled to try CoverGirl (again). 

But I did.  

And after 2-3 weeks of wear, I am genuinely surprised to say that this is a solid drugstore foundation, and I find myself going to it more than my Makeup Forever HD Foundation (mostly cause I'm cheap, and I count the dollars I'm pumping out whenever I use foundation over $30).  

It's matte, it doesn't settle (much) into fine lines, and it does really last a minimum of 8-10 hours - more if you add a primer (though it claims to contain one) and set it with powder.   Irrespective of wear, plan on setting it with a light dusting of powder, anyway, as it helps to create a more polished look. 

It's main drawback, I've found, is it can be drying, and it does't wear as well on dryer skin.  I have dryness on my forehead and some eczema around my eyebrows (facial dandruff, anyone?), and it can highlight these issues quite a bit.  (This is lead me to pouring argan oil on my face at nite religiously).  

Other than the dryer texture, it's more than worth a try - I suspect it may become a new favorite of many.  With most drugstore products, it's pretty hard to find a good color match in the middle of WalMart, so buy @ a place with a decent return policy like Ulta (coupon!!) or WalMart. 

And then smile knowing you look pretty fancy for under $10. 

Beautifully Simple, 

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics

beauty - back to basics

I remember with much regret the acne that marred my face in college, and I remember the feelings of insecurity, frustration, and anxiety it caused.  And I remember one girl in my dorm who had picture-perfect skin - skin that today we recognize in magazines as airbrushed to perfection.  This girl, however, had the real deal.  I saw her washing her face in the women's shower room one day, and I instantly turned into Nancy Drew, trying to investigate the face wash I was sure was the miracle ingredient for her perfect skin I so admired.  After craning my neck around the corner - Cetaphil.  Good old available-at-WalMart Cetaphil.  I was half thrilled and half disappointed.  I was on prescription face wash, lotion, and acne medicine at the time, and it blew my mind that Cetaphil could work so well for someone when I was spending all my money at the dermatologist.  

Older now and slightly less acned, I know that the college girl was most likely 95% blessed with amazing skin, and her face would have been unblemished with or without Cetaphil.  But in the 12 years  since college, I've tried a lot of cleansers, only to come back to Cetaphil recently.  I was looking thru popular YouTube videos, and saw Miss Maven's video on her new, simplified skincare routine.  I've been looking for less expensive products recently, as I'm drawing near the end of my Jan Marini Bioglycolic Face Cleanser, and I'm not up to spending the money to repurchase.  I figured I might as well give the 'ol Cetaphil standby a try, as it most likely wouldn't do any harm to my skin or my pocketbook.  

It's been a bit over a week since I made the Cetaphil switch, and I have no complaints.  Of course any product trial takes time, but I'm excited so far to have a budget-friendly alternative to the expensive washes I've been using over the years.  I smile at the sweet irony that after going around and around, I'm back to where it all began.

Out With the Old; In With the...Old(er)

scores & horrors

This week’s scores are no surprise – they’re already top-selling, name-brand products from Revlon that users swear by.  But, my horror with one of them comes from a problem in usage and wear that I’ve heard few comment on.

Revlon’s ColorBurst Lip Butters are sheer, wearable, flattering lipsticks that women are buying up everywhere.  I’m a huge fan – I keep one of at least eight shades I own stashed in every bag I own. 

BUT! A few of the shades that run on the creamier side (usually the ones without shimmer) mushy-mash all over the tube, my lips, and whatever surface they collide with (like a lip brush).  For example, my favorite 60s beach bunny shade Strawberry Shortcake has been exposed to no harsh melt-inducing elements, yet last Saturday, it smashed itself into a nice pile in the middle of my lips.  In public.  It’s still usable-ish, but I have to apply it gingerly and away from a crowd.  This completely detracts from what’s normally so great about these products – the “firm” shades that don’t mush are super-simple to swipe on the lips on-the-go and without a mirror. 

I’m still a fan, but just a word of caution.  These little bargain beauties can create quite a mess.

They’re even better topped with a swipe of score #2 – Revlon’s ColorBurst Lip Gloss .  The clear Crystal Water shade adds a clean pop of shimmer over any lipstick making lips appear fuller and softer.

Helpful reviews and tips on color selection can be found on Makeup Alley.

Beautifully Simple,

Nicole @ Vanity Cosmetics

back off! beauty

Oh, my.  I sit staring a bit harder at my face today because I was pressured into buying a $40 product I'm pretty sure I didn't need when I went to a large chain cosmetics store yesterday.  And while I can return the product if it doesn't live up to the hype, what lead to me buying this item distressed me. 

Salesperson #1: "Excuse me? Can I just do something - can you come here?" (Proceeds to wipe/blend my foundation into my jawline in a more efficient manner).  "OK - that's a bit better."

Salesperson #2: "Do you have time for me to redo your makeup? I can totally take care of whatever mess that's, like, happening with all this."  (Gestures to indicate she's talking about my whole face).

Salesperson #3: "What face cleanser are you using? Cause, girl, we can totally work with what's going on, like, here."  (Additional gesturing to my face).

Salesperson #4:  "Oh! What blush are you using today??"

Me: (Reply with name of cream blush).

Salesperson #4: "Oh! Well, when I wear too much streaky blush like that, I totally use this product to, like, tone it down and make it look better."

Hell. 

OK, people.  You got me.  I figure I must look like a hot-mess troll, and I take Salesperson #4's product, put back the two products I actually went into the store for, and shuffle my way to the register, self-esteem at a negative-4 code-red. 

I get I was having a bad beauty day, but I don't get how these people's sales techniques were considered helpful or effective. Rather, the next time I go into this store, I'm sure to be head-down, no eye contact ever. 

I talked about the difference in makeup-counter department-style stores in an article I wrote for Vanity Cosmetics, and my words rang even truer today.  I have never seen or experienced high-pressure sales at Vanity Cosmetics, nor have I ever been insulted into buying products I didn't want or need. 

So quick reminders, ladies - 1) keep your heads held high, especially when untrained salespeople heap on the pressure to guilt you into buying products; 2) there's often good reasons why professional salon experiences are worth the extra drive and price you pay.  

Here's the product I bought.  Cheers to hoping it can help with this hot mess of a face I'm carrying around.