Category: Beautyblender

(Sometimes I feel so) Uninspired

Cold Cream 'n' Roses2 Comments
(Sometimes I feel so) Uninspired was the title of a song by Traffic, a band fronted by Steve Winwood that was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  It also reflects how I’m feeling now about blogging.

The process of sitting down to blog is hard for me.  However, I’ve been very active on Twitter with beauty news.  Twitter is easy, blogging is hard.

I’ve also been going through a makeup-free period.  After DST, I’ve had a hard time waking up before dawn  and it’s enough for me to throw on clothes and get out of the house to go to work.  Maybe some lip color and Paula’s Choice Brow/Hair Tint to cover the gray hairs and groom the brows.  And that’s about it.

However, that hasn’t stopped me from buying cosmetics!  Recent purchases:

G-d willing, I’ll get the motivation to sit down and write about them!

Enter to win a Beautyblender gift set #in

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Over time, I’ve raved about Beautyblender.  I use the rounded bottom to blend liquid foundation and the pointed end for detail work like blending concealer around the eye. Koren Zander of EnKore makeup even demonstrated how to apply loose powder mineral makeup with Beautyblender.  I’ve tried cheaper knockoffs from Sonia Kashuk and Sephora, but they can’t compare to Beautyblender, especially for detail work.

I balked at buying Beautyblender for the longest time: $20.00 for a makeup sponge??? Curiosity, however, got the better of me, and I plunked down $20.00 to buy Beautyblender.  It’s since become one of my favorite tools in my makeup closet.

The prize: One Beautyblender gift set

Have you also balked at buying Beautyblender?   Here’s your opportunity to win a set containing not one, but two, Beautyblenders and 10 sachets containing its plant-based cleanser:

http://contestmachine.com/embed/survey_js/YL14A6H5TU

How to apply loose mineral powders with Beautyblender

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I’ve found Beautyblender, that pink egg-shaped sponge, indispensable for blending liquid and cream makeup. I rely on it to blend concealer.

But applying loose mineral powders with Beautyblender? That’s a new one to me. Koren Zander of EnKoreMakeup shows you how in the following video. Be prepared – the video runs 15 minutes.

I tried Koren’s method, which resulted in weightless yet complete coverage and a matte finish that lasted all day. No need to use blotting papers!

You may find Beautyblender at Amazon.com and Sephora.com, among other outlets.

A less expensive alternative to Beautyblender?

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I discovered this through Style.com “the online home for Vogue”


Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge

I think that Beautyblender is a great product, but I balked at the price (twenty dollars) and hoped that there would be knockoffs that would work just as well.

Could this Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge at $6.99 be what I’m looking for? I visited my local Target yesterday and couldn’t find it. Target is also carrying Spinlash – I’ll report on that later.

Products I’m excited about

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Generally, I am pleased with the cosmetics I try and use. However, here are three products that genuinely excited me:

Illuminare All Day Eye Color in Espresso and Cafe Americano. I’ve already raved about Illuminare All Day Eye Color as an eyeliner. I’m always on the lookout for products to tint my eyebrows that provide full coverage, as the color applied at the salon when I get my hair colored doesn’t last. I’ve tried various solutions, such as eye shadow or eyeliner, LORAC Brow Wax, and Laura Mercier Brown Definer, but Illuminare All Day Eye Color in Espresso or Cafe Americano is the best solution I’ve found to date.

Beautyblender– see my February 6, 2008 review.


Suki Pure Cream Stain in Clay

Suki Pure Natural Creme Stain in Clay. I’ve always relied on powder blushes, but it’s true that creme blush seems to meld with one’s skin better. Here is one example where a “natural” cosmetic functions as well as conventional cosmetics. The Suki Pure Natural Creme Stain is described as a “[very] versatile chocolaty pink rose neutral with brown undertones,” but I think that this description overemphasizes the brown in this creme. It’s better described as a pink subdued by brown undertones.

All the shades of Suki Pure Natural Creme Stain look beautiful. You may find Suki Pure Natural Creme Stain and other Suki products at Futurenatural.

Beautyblender

Cold Cream 'n' Roses
Beautyblender Gift Set

I’ve long been curious about this egg-shaped makeup applicator – will it really improve my makeup application, or is it just a gimmick? I resisted buying this product, as twenty dollars was an absurd amount of money to spend on a makeup sponge. Finally, I decided to buy Beautyblender. After the New York Times published an article saying that we beauty bloggers do what we do for freebies, I want it known that I spend hundreds of dollars on products for review on The Style Page blog.

I’m here to tell you that this is a great product (although I’m waiting for knockoffs that work just as well). The wider end is great for tapping or stippling makeup on one’s checks. The narrow end is great for applying makeup around the eyes and sides of the nose (although Matin, as excellent as his advice was, discouraged this practice). I’ve usually avoided liquid, cream, or stick concealers, as I get frustrated blending them. However, Beautyblender does a great job of blending concealer. BTW my favorite concealer is L’Oreal True Match Concealericon: the brush on the wand is tiny, allowing for precise application.

You may shop for Beautyblender at Amazon.com.