Clearly, Time For A Mask

It’s October! Somehow! Already! But that’s okay, because I like October, but seriously, what happened to September? We don’t know. But since it's definitely October 1st, we might as well talk about a mask. Hahah. Do you get it?! A MASK!

Anyway.

Face Off

I am as guilty as anyone of going out of the house without makeup on. Sometimes I go a little further from home than I should, if I can wear sunglasses. (But never further than I can travel on foot!) It’s not that I mind putting makeup ON, it’s that I hate taking it OFF. I would honestly love to have makeup on 24/7, which is probably why I was so crazy about those eyelash extensions, but taking it off is always a drag.

Over the summer, I reviewed some blueberry face wipes that were unimpressive. An anonymous commenter, who is currently totally missing her opportunity for a shoutout, recommended I try the ones from Trader Joe’s. Even though I can see Trader Joe’s from my apartment if I lean far enough out the window, I didn’t manage to get in there to track them down until recently. (Trader Joe’s stores in NYC get insanely crowded, so you have to go at just the right time. Which varies.)

Fresh Powder

I thought it would be fun to wait for a snowy day to write a post about the new powder I’ve been using, but we really didn’t get a good snow day this winter. For some reason, the best snow day was in October, which was just weird. Instead of waiting until next year, I figured I should go ahead and tell you about Kett.

Girl with a Pearl Face

I had heard so many great things about Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint, that when my beloved Dr. Jart BB Cream started to get low, I decided I would try something new instead of buying Dr. J for a third time. Just to see.

It’s ELECTRIC! Boogiewoogiewoogie.

I turned 36 this year, and I feel like the warranty ran out on my face. Gravity is definitely beginning to take it’s toll, and while I’ve done the best I could with my lifestyle choices and staying out of the sun, I guess a little sagging and fine lines are inevitable. Sigh*

Dr. LeWinn: All Up In Your Face

Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase is another product line I’ve been trying out for BzzAgent. They sent me full size tubes of their Under Eye Recovery treatment and Wrinkle Repair Daily Lotion SPF 30. (But I don’t get paid for endorsing or not-endorsing the products.) I’ve been using the two products for three weeks now. Eye cream in the morning and at night, and the SPF cream just during the day.

Makeup That Also Isn’t

Do you know about BB Cream? When I first read about it, I was like “SERIOUSLY?” That sounds great, but how? And, really? (The first part out loud, the second and third parts in my head.) BB Cream is, apparently, magic.

Pore Me Another

We’ve already talked a little about Dr. Brandt’s Pores No More line, and I told you I was a fan of the Pore Refiner I still am! It almost seems like my pores are smaller the next day too, even without the product. At the same time I got the sample of the Pore Refiner, I got a sample of the Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner because, Hello? Yes, please. I’ve been trying it out for a few weeks now.

I Don't Like Mondays II

It’s been awhile since I complained about anything (to you, anyway) so I thought I’d tell you about few more things you don’t have to bother spending your money on. Unless, of course, you already have and love these things. In which case, good for you! For me, not so good.

Pore Me

I’ve heard a lot of complaints about shiny noses lately, and I feel like pores are right at the top of everyone’s shitlist too. As always, there is hope at Sephora. (Which, if you rearrange the letters spells “Hopers, A?”)

Headline

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m vigilant about protecting my face from the sun. But what’s holding my face on my body? Is that important too? Well, it's my head, and most of the time I consider it to be important and useful. Let's put it this way: I certainly wouldn’t want to be without it! Here are the things I use to protect my head, and it’s parts, on the beach.

Clogged Pores: Slightly Better Than Other Types of Clogs

One of my primary skincare concerns is the pores on my nose, so when I heard about the fancy new black nose strips from Boscia, I couldn’t wait to check them out. The reviews on Sephora.com were good, and I was all ready to plunk down my cash when I found an offer for a free sample. Win!

I Dropped My Plucking Tweezers. Again.

I don’t want to brag or anything, but I’m like, really, REALLY good at dropping tweezers. I could probably go pro, or at least semi-pro, if I didn’t spend so much time writing this blog. The problem is, much like a marathoner will likely wear out their knees, if you drop your tweezers on the bathroom tile enough times (or just once, really perfectly) you will damage them and they won’t work anymore. Just the tiniest nick in one of the blades will render them useless. It’s extra great if you do this after you’ve neglected your eyebrows for a while, and need to clean them up before you go out someplace nice. That’s really the best time to do it.

Egg Hunt

Holy Thursday! It’s almost Easter and I’ve been sitting on these egg-shaped makeup sponges for weeks, just waiting for the right time to share them.

Tinted Moisturizer Showdown

I’m fairly certain you all haven’t gone out and bought yourselves airbrush makeup systems, though I continue to be obsessed with mine. One of the things I was researching before getting addicted to the airbrush was tinted moisturizer, and I still needed to find one to use for low-maintenance days and summer travel.

Airbrush Gets A Classy Makeover

I was recently presented with the opportunity to buy a Temptu AIRbrush Makeup System from Sephora at 40% off. At first, I thought: “No, I don’t need an airbrush. I am totally 100% fine without one.” But I’ve been sooo curious about airbrush makeup, and I have a blog to write, so about 3 minutes later I made my purchase online. The system came with two pods of foundation in my choice of color, which was easy to choose from the options they had. (I am almost always the lightest shade, or second lightest, skewed toward yellow.)

Zits & Wrinkles: The Best of Both Worlds

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Dr. Dennis Gross Alph Beta Daily Face Peel, which works great, until you stop using it. I found it too expensive for long-term use, so I decided I would follow up my treatment with Murad Live Clear Acne Complex Starter Kit for maintenance.

Your Face in High Def

Make Up For Ever is running what they say are the first ever make up ads without any retouching. (Notarized and all!) In order to be able to make this claim, they couldn’t even retouch the stuff that really needs it, like the mysterious white powder on her elbow. Or how her arm looks a little lumpy and weird due to the angle and lighting. Plus her armpit! Ugh. In fact, all the ads have too much armpit. Maybe next time put the girls in shirts with sleeves, Wardrobe Stylist! But: her face looks great. Part of the reason could be that the girl is probably 17 and is definitely a model who looks a lot like Blake Lively. Still, it’s pretty impressive!

My Favorite Band

You know when there’s something that consistently annoys you, but it’s so small you don’t bother to fix it?

That was happening to me whenever I washed my face. I had been using elastic headbands from the drugstore to hold my hair back, and they just weren't working for me. They were the ones they make for little girls, because I have a little tiny head, so they were pink, lavender, and teal. They were 1” wide, and because I have a serious amount of bangs, my hair always curled over the top and onto my (also little tiny) forehead. Then, the tips of my bangs and my hairline would get wet, and I’d end up with a “There’s Something About Mary” hairdo by the time I took the headband off.

Golden Oldie

I’ve been using this forever, and maybe you have too, but it’s recently come to my attention that not everyone knows about it. And really, everyone should. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclatis a gold magic wand that basically erases dark shadows on your face. It’s not a concealer, it’s a luminizer, which “brings light and radiance to the skin.” But don’t get it confused with highlighter, because it’s not that either. No shimmer, no sparkles, lighter-weight than concealer, or even foundation. Just consider it a magical shadow eraser and you'll be fine.