I know I need to wear a daily SPF on my face and neck to avoid the damaging effects of the sun. Further more, I know that you need to be hyper-vigilant about using sunscreen while using retinoids, or after using facial skincare products with BHA or AHA’s. Even so, sometimes I still hesitate using a facial sunscreen.

Here is a list of some of the “excuses” I use to justify not using a facial sunscreen:

• the smell, many sunscreens have a chemical smell that really bothers me
• the feel, greasy and difficult to use with my existing makeup
• breakout factor, sensitivity to some sunscreen creams can cause breakouts
• the shine, even a little bit of moisture can add to my already summer oily-shiny skin
• sting my eyes,  don’t get a sunscreen close to your eyes or you’ll be teary all day long! (more…)

Elke Von Freudenberg is considered to be a Top 5 Eyebrow Specialist, and created her own specialty line, The MODEL BROW! 

When asked to create a list of favorite beauty products for 2008, both DecoDiva and Mo mentioned their love of Indelible Gel Eyeliners.  When such extraordinary makeup mavens heart such a find, one needs to pay attention!

If you are a fan of liquid eyeliners, and particularly MAC’s Fluidline, the Indelible “Gel” Eyeliner will most likely appeal to you.  Mo reviewed this eyeliner in Black Cherry from LooseLipsNY , and DecoDiva found the indelible gel eyeliner at Aromaleigh’s website.  DD noticed that Aromaleigh carried this product by customer request and that it was made by a third party (private label) company that supplies it to any company that wants to carry it, in the same colors and same formula. (more…)

Absolu Rouge Lipstick – Advanced Replenishing & Reshaping Lipcolor Pro-Xylaneâ„¢ SPF 12 Sunscreen ($29)

Absolutely Voluptuous Lips. Pamper your lips with this creamy and luscious formula. Lancôme brings Pro-Xylane™; its complete and powerful replenishing molecule, to a lip color for visibly fuller and smoother lips. (shade in picture:  Absolute Rouge)

Rich, satiny, saturated color wraps lips in luxury. Lasting color precisely defines contours.

To start off, I love this lipstick container.  Classic black, streamlined and functional.  The lid has a slight magnetic pull to keep it on securely.  How smart is that!? 

The lipstick formula is smooth, moisturizing, offers true color that has pretty decent staying power.  Everything that I want from a lipstick. (more…)

After reading a compelling review of Clinique’s Clarifying Makeup Clear Skin Formula from Kate at Megsmakeup.com, it led to my stopping by the Clinique counter.  After discussing the pros and cons of this particular foundation, the Clinique Beauty Advisor said that she thought the newly re-formulated Superfit Makeup would be a better match for my particular skintype (combination and almost 40 yr. old skin).  Clinique changed the formula to enable this foundation to wick away sweat and excess oil and eliminate the midday shine or the late day fadeout.  After the Clinique Advisor applied this to my face and I felt it on my skin, I was sold.

This foundation blends well into the skin and provides buildable medium coverage, but I have noticed two problems while using it.  While Superfit makeup works well on my drier cheek areas, it looks a bit too shiny on my forehead and chin.  This might be due to some added light diffusers or shimmer in the foundation.  The other issue was that the shade I purchased (Petal) appears orange-y on my skin, not a perfect match.  I have also read several reviews of the Superfit Makeup that are saying similar things.  I would expect this foundation to be perfect for individuals with warmer tones and drier skin, and I believe the Clarifying Makeup would have been a better match for me personally.  So many times finding a wonderful foundation that works for your specific skintype is a trial and error experience! (more…)

Eye Treatments! Many of us cannot afford the $50+ eye cream and would prefer to be able to pick up a product from the drug store.  Here is my advice  for selecting an effective drug store brand eye cream.

1.  Read carefully through the product ingredient list. A good eye formula should have no strong fragrance or color, absorb quickly into your skin and contain beneficial ingredients like:

• Peptides. Only certain peptides are considered effective like Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 (Matrixyl), and copper peptides should not be combined with retinoids, AHA’s or Vitamin C (in a nutshell, they cancel eachother out).
  Antioxidants. Vitamin C, E, green tea
  Caffeine. As strange as it may seem, caffeine diminishes inflammation and fluid retention around the eye.
  Sodium Hyaluronate. highly effective moisturizer
  retinyl palmitate (vitamin A). Speeds up cell turnover rate and has anti-aging benefits.

For example, L’Oreal’s Advanced RevitaLift Eye Cream contains shea butter, caffeine, and Retinyl Palmitate. I would say this might be a promising formula, but you might not like the fact that it has a strong fragrance or added color.  Another product like “Yes to Carrots” Eye can C Cleary Now Eye Contour Cream has cucumber water, carrot oil, Retinyl Palmitate, and vitamin c, also contains fragrance, but seems to list more natural recognizable ingredients. Whenever you venture buying any product read the ingredients carefully and keep your receipt.Â

2.  Eye creams should never sting or cause your eyes to tear-up. Eye creams should soothe not irritate your eyes.

3.  Your eyes should feel moisturized, but not greasy.

4. Results take time. Most eye treatments will take consistent use for 6 to 8 weeks before you can start noticing improvements.

I recently noticed an ad for Garnier Nutritioniste’s Skin Renew “Anti-Puff Eye Roller” that contains caffeine, Vitamin b-5 and “exclusive skin nutrients.” This looks like it might hold some promise for the puffiness issues and I would be curious exactly how it works to diminish the dark undereye circles.  In the *small print you will read that results were seen “after 8 weeks of use.” The women at Megsmakeup.com recently gave this product mixed reviews at, “GARNIER NUTRITIONISTE SKIN RENEW ANTI-PUFF EYE ROLLER! DRUGSTORE DEAL THURSDAYS!” (more…)

So many great beauty reads, so little time!

Jelly Pong: Pong Nude And Improved – Raging Rouge explains how “this handy little pencil isn’t just a primer, but can act as a concealer too!”

Purely Cosmetics – Pure Bionic Goodness! – Bionic Beauty discovers a wonderful mineral makeup line. “The biggest difference when I applied the Pure Silk Mineral Foundation was the feel.”

Sally b’s Skin Yummies – Lemon Sage Sugar Scrub – DecoDiva cannot get over how wonderful her skin smells and feels after using Sally B’s Lemon Sage Sugar Scrub.

CARGO HOLIDAY NIGHTS! SATURDAY AT SEPHORA! – Kate might still be building her wardrobe, but one thing she has down pat, Kate knows a great makeup palette when she sees one!

90s Ladies Week: Clueless About Foundation? As If! – I laughed all the way through this post about the 90’s. Spoiled Pretty’s new favorite, Make Up For Ever’s HD Invisible Cover Foundation!

Sneek Peek: MAC Hello Kitty Part Deux… The Makeup Girl posts about newly announced release dates for MAC’s Hello Kitty Colour Collection and Hello Kitty Kouture! Meow!

New Posts from Mythbuster Beauty:

• Urban Decay’s Urban Essentials Giveaway (hurry, the deadline is 11.26!)
  
• DecoDiva: The Right Tools for Liquid, Gel, or Powder Eyeliners
• FGW: Timelapse Wands, skin smoothing in a stick?
• Sally B’s Skin Yummies: Such a Treat!
• Beauty Bubble: Using your skincare products in the right order.

BIG NEWS FLASH!  All fans or wanna-be fans of Urban Decay, now is your time to save 30%!

Now through 11.18.08 enter “FFH30″ at checkout to receive 30% off your entire order at Urban Decay!!!

Why did I not know this when I purchased “The Travel Set of FIVE – VIP” Urban Decay Glide-on 24/7 Eye pencils last week for $29 at Ulta!?  WHY!!!  This set would have cost me a mere $21.30 (significant savings) if I could only have waited.

And although my Sunday School teacher may disagree, “LUST” (an electric purple eyeliner) is sooooo worth it! 

If you need any Urban Decay advice or suggestions, we’d be happy to help.

Urban Decay Loves Purple, Do YOU? - some fantastic ways to go purple

FGW: Urban Decay has new stuff!! - the new Urban Decay that Mo is gushing about

Bionic Beauty has another incredible giveaway going on until November 23rd, 2008.  You have two chances to win a Dazzle Dry Quick Dry Nail Polish System.

“Your Dazzle Dry nail polish system set will include: Nail Prep (1 oz.), Base Coat (0.5 oz), Dazzle Dry top coat (0.5 oz), and 3 different nail polish colors (0.5 ounces each). It’s the perfect-o kit for your at-home manicures and pedicures! And for the record, Dazzle Dry never tests their products on small n’ fuzzies (i.e. no animal testing).”

How do you enter this wonderous contest?   Follow this link over to Bionic Beauty and enter, that’s how!