Review – Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer

 Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer gets great reviews.  Is it weird that I am completely surprised at how much people like this?

What sets this primer apart from the competition, is that it claims to treat and prevent blemishes.

From jourcosmetics.com

Product Description

Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment

This oil free mattifying anti-blemish primer, formulated
with Salicylic Acid, penetrates into skin to help treat existing blemishes, prevent development of new acne, and minimize the appearance of pores. Aloe, Vitamin E, Ginseng & Gingko Biloba Extract help calm redness and reduce inflammation, promoting a shine-free, even complexion.  30 mL / 1.0 fl oz

Oil Free.  Hypoallergenic.  Paraben Free.  Silicone Free.  Fragrance Free.  Dermatologist tested.

My thoughts

This doesn’t prime.  Sort of problem since it’s supposed to be a primer.

It may work as a treatment, but if you are looking for a flawless look, you will need an actual primer.

Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer sank right into my skin.  So the foundation, sort of sank right in too.  I didn’t get the primed effect I have come to expect from Smashbox.

Also, I think this broke me out.   This also surprised me since I already use a salicylic acid toner, so my skin didn’t need to purge anything.

Would I purchase?

No.  There are better primers out there on the market.

Have you used the Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer? 

~Anna

July Ipsy Bag! Sensationally Sunkissed!

I love this month’s bag color.  Helllo hot pink!

So what’s in this magic bag?

 Elizabeth Mott
Tints & Sass
in the color Cherry

Lip and cheek stain, similar to Benetint

Clear Clinic Laboratories
Vanished Clear Spot Treatment

Models Own
Nail Polish in Red Sea

bareMinerals
5-in-1 BB Advanced
Performance Cream Eyeshadow
Broad Spectrum SPF 15

Pur~lisse
pur~protect essential daily moisturizer spf 30

I’m excited to try these.

What did you get?

~Anna

Review – The Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads.

I was really excited to try these because I love any beauty product with any acid as an ingredient.  I’m sick, I know.  But hey, it keeps your skin freaking amazing.

So, let’s get down to business with these Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads.  As you may recall, these were in my January Ipsy Glam Bag.

I haven’t tried anything from the Proactiv line before.  Even though I don’t have any marks or acne scars fade, I was excited to try these Mark Fading Pads because they boasted a 2% salicylic acid solution.  I am a huge fan of salicylic acid and sadly it usually comes in cleansers or gels as an acne treatment.

BUT IT IS SO GOOD ON YOUR SKIN!

What is it?

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid derived from the bark of a willow tree.  It basically makes your skin shed.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4564208_salicylic-acid-work.html#ixzz2rhuRjhx7

Ok, so what do these Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads actually do and why are you so excited about them?

1) My skin was super soft

2) Pores were teeny tiny

3) Anything that was waiting to erupt under the dermis – GONE

3) Glowing skin

The bad?

As with any Practiv product, you have to get a whole collection to get these.  Since I don’t have acne, I’m spending gagillion dollars on acne treatment. Duh.

But now I had a taste of the salicylic acid goodness,  so I went internet hunting.  I wanted a toner or pads that I can use in a similar way as The Fading Pads.  I may have found it…will review it soon.

Peeled skin is happy skin!

~Anna

Ipsy Glam Bag January 2014!

Woohooo!  First Glam Bag of the year and filled with some exciting things.  PS.  I took these pictures on my floor and I realized I have the world’s most boring carpet color!  ick

The things I am most excited about – The Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads.  These are 2% salicylic acid which is so great for treating acne and cell turnover.   I always seem to find it in acne medication, so I was psyched to see this.  Used one of these already and will do a full review.  Sorry, I can’t link to the product because I can’t see it on their website.

Épicé Purifying Exfoliant retails for $32 for 3.3 oz.  This is the most expensive product in the bag.  I received a 1 oz sample, so about $10.00 worth of product.  I already used this and will review it soon.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner.  I love hair products.  yay!

Mica Lip Tinted Balm in Natural.  Pretty color, and it will great on my mom.  So I will be giving it to her.

Smooth Shadow from Elizabeth Mott in Pearl.  This is a highlighter, eyeliner and waterline liner. I’m excited to use this on my waterline.  Putting flesh colored or white liners in the waterline make your eyes appear bigger.  This is a big deal for me since I wear glasses.

Protip-Glasses for nearsighted correction make your eyes look smaller.  Waterline lining with light or white pencils counters this illusion.  Make your eyes pop, girl!

Keep your peepers peeled for the full reviews on these goodies.

xoxo ~Anna

DIY Face Masks – One for every skin type

Skin Care Regimen – Easy to follow guide

Your skin is the biggest organ on your body  – Is it just me or does that sound kind of creepy?  But really – it’s true!  If you want to look and feel your best you need to take care of your skin.  What you eat and how much you drink is really essential to that, so please bare that in mind.  Also, if you have persistent skin issues; bad acne, redness, etc that makes you feel like you don’t even want to leave the house even with a spatula’s worth of foundation on – I strongly urge you to see a Dermatologist.  Your issues might be easily treatable and your confidence boosted.

Ok – lecture over.  Now to the nitty gritty.

Here is our skin care Regimen easy breakdown:

AM

• Gently Exfoliate with either a Microderma Mitt (or similar) or a gentle exfoliating cleanser or this one.
  
• Tone using an alcohol free toner.
• Apply moisturizer.
• Apply eye cream.
• Apply make-up primer. (if needed)

PM

• Cleanse with a make-up removing cleanser.
• Remove any excess eye make-up with a make-up remover.
• Tone using an alcohol free toner.
• Apply NightCream.

 

Product Recommendations:

Cleanser:    Make-up Removing, Dry Skin, Acne Prone / sensitive skin, Oily Skin and the Classic

Toner:  DIY Toner, Normal-Senestive Skin, Problem Skin

Moisturizer:  All Natural/Budget, oily/acne, Tinted Moisturizer , Sensitive ,  w/ SPF 

Pro-tip: Jojoba Oil also works as a make-up remover.

Eye Cream:  Dark Circles/Puffiness, Crow’s Feet, Drug Store

<—- we both use this!

Night Cream:  We are new to night creams but we LOVE this one.

Related articles

• Makeup Artist Secrets: How To Get Radiant, Glowing Skin (1stavenuesouth.wordpress.com)
• beauty.picks: My Skincare Arsenal (chictoronto.com)
• What to know about Skin Care (babblebeautyblog.wordpress.com)
• Current Skin Care Routine (thebellelumiere.net)

Concealer – The good & the bad.

Let’s face it, we all have blemishes we want to cover up.  May it be redness, acne, spots or undereye circles.  This is where concealer is the cosmetic champ.  I have used so many different concealers in my life, especially dealing with acne.

This is my new favorite one:

Ecco Bella FlowerColor Coverup $17.95

What’s so great about it?  Well, its all natural.  I am trying to use less chemicals on my face when I can.  However, it is not vegan as it uses Beeswax.   It’s super easy to apply, very blendable and doesn’t crease.  The lightest color – Beige #1 is light enough for my fair complexion and it isn’t orangey.

Here is a concealer I totally hate  but wanted to like.

e.l.f. Studio Concealer $3

What’s so bad about it?  Ok, it’s $3 bucks so it was worth the risk of trying.  I like so many other e.l.f products but this one just falls flat for me.  It’s super greasy, don’t blend well, doesn’t cover well and just looks chalky.  Maybe my skin is too oily for it or something.  Additionally I found it to appear orange when applied to my skin.

Have you tried either of these products?  How did they work out for you?

~kassi

Biotin for beautiful hair, skin and nails…unless you are me.

Biotin, also known as vitamin H or coenzyme R, is a water-soluble B-vitamin (vitamin B₇).

Biotin is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids.  It may also be helpful in maintaining a steady blood sugar level. Biotin is often recommended as a dietary supplement for strengthening hair and nails, though scientific data supporting this usage are weak.

Anna has been taking 5,000mcg of Biotin a day and she looks amazing.  So I was sold.  I bought a bottle of 1,000 mcg Biotin but it turns out it gives me cystic acne.  Gross!

I guess this can happen to some people.  But don’t let me stop you from trying it for yourself. Most people don’t have the sad acne reaction and end up with long flowing hair, glowing skin and strong nails.

Do you take Biotin supplements? What have your results been like?

-kassi

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SALE ALERT! 100% Pure Cosmetics

20% off all items from 100 Percent Pure Cosmetics.  All natural, vegan, organic and AMAZING products.

Recommended items:

Coffee Bean Eye cream – wakes up tired eyes and smells amazing

Brightening Scrub – great as a mask AND an exfoliating scrub

Healthy Skin Foundation w/ Super Fruits – No more chemical filled foundations

Related articles

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Cleaning your makeup brushes + Important Pinterest Warning!

How often do you clean your makeup brushes?  Daily? Weekly? Never?

I am personally bad about doing it so I am trying to make an effort to clean them more- to protect both my face and my brushes.

Cleaning options:

Professional Brush Cleaner – These are nice as often times you can just spray on the brush, wipe and use them right away.  This works well for daily cleaning, but would suggest doing a deep clean every so often with water.  Here are some daily cleaners.  You can also make your own!  Recipe Here and Here.

Shampoo-  This provides a deeper clean and uses water so you need to wait for the brushes to dry.  This is best done over night.  For this you can either get a shampoo specifically made for brushes like the Well-Cared For Brush Conditioning Shampoo ($14) by Bare Essentials.  Or you can use budget friendly Johnson’s Baby Shampoo ($2.99).  What you do is add about a quarter sized amount to warm water (not hot! you don’t want to melt the glue that holds your brush hairs.) Then swirl your brushes in the water being careful not to submerge the metal parts.

Vinegar and Water – DO NOT SOAK.  There are some pins on Pinterest that tell you to soak for 15-20 minutes.  This is a bad idea as it can ruin your brushes.  The correct way to use white vinegar to clean your brushes is to combine 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water. Swish the make-up brushes in the bowl until thoroughly saturated then gently rise the brushes under lukewarm water and lay flat on a towel to dry over night.

Vinegar / Dish Soap Mixture– Combine 1 cup of warm water, 1 tablespoon of liquid dish detergent and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup.  Swish the make-up brushes in the bowl until thoroughly saturated then gently rise the brushes under lukewarm water and lay flat on a towel to dry over night.  Again – do not soak.  This recipe is nice because the dish soap masks the vinegar smell.  This combo has many house hold uses such as getting rid of fruit flies and being a weed killer.  The more you know.

Ok, I’m going to go clean my brushes right now because I’m totally a slob and haven’t cleaned them all month.   -kassi

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