Genius Beauty Tool: esum Pro Pinky Puffs

So I was combing through my massive pile of unread emails when I came across an advertorial email from Muse Beauty Pro about these nifty little guys, the esum Pro Pinky Puffs.

pinkypuffs

Pinky Puffs are liiiiiiiiitle tiny cosmetic puffs that slide onto your finger like a ring. They’re made of supersoft micro-cotton velour, designed so that you can touch/rest your hand on a face while applying makeup without disturbing or even making a dent in the makeup. See?

esum_pinky_howto1

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Genius! Now, I’ve seen similar puffs, but none so tiny as these. These also look more pillowy than the puffs I have seen. So cool!

esum Pro Pinky Puffs are available for $21 for a set of 6 at Muse Beauty Pro.

Fall 2014 Makeup Trends from #MACCosmetics

Models_at_MAC_AW_Trends_Presentation

Recently I had the pleasure of attending MAC’s A/W 2014 Trends presentation up in LA. I got to hear about the 4 main trends for the A/W (that’s Autumn/Winter for you non-fashiony peeps) from 4 mega-talented MAC Senior Artists.

MAC_Senior_Artist_Cynthia_Rivas_at_MAC_AW_Trends_Presentation

Off-Color presented by Cynthia Rivas

The Off-Color trend is a deconstructed take on colors found naturally occurring in your complexion. The same shades we found in summer makeups are still there, but in a more muted way. The focus is generally on the eye or the lip (sometimes both). The skin is as natural as possible. For a more natural look, Cynthia suggested applying bold colors with a fluffier brush to diffuse color onto the lips.

Try it! To get the diffused color look on the lips, try a fluffy eye brush like the MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush instead of a traditional lip brush.

MAC_Senior_Artist_John_Stapleton_at_MAC_AW_Trends_Presentation

Streamlined presented by John Stapleton

Streamlined is a trend John describes as a return to 90s grunge but in a sophisticated way. Brows are bold and defined, even a bit tomboyish. Liner pops with unusual shapes and surprising colors. Picture a brown or grey smoky eye with a pop of yellow liner underneath or up top. For a more wearable look, John suggests smoking out your eye look with navy instead of the usual black. While black is always on trend, navy actually makes the whites of your eyes look brighter.

Try it! In the look John was creating above, he used MAC Fluidline in Black Ivy.

Director_of_Makeup_Artistry_Gregory_Arlt_at_MAC_AW_Trends_Presentation

On Reflection presented by Gregory Arlt

Now we’re talking! Gregory presented a look that is all about adding pops of shine to an otherwise matte face. He created an ‘ombre of shine’ by giving his model a bit of a glossy eye with more subtle shine to highlight her face. If you’ve ever tried the glossy eye look you know they look incredible, but last about 3 minutes before they need serious attention. If I were going to try this look “in real life” I’d opt for highlights on the face and an uber glossy lip– quite a bit more manageable for touch-ups.

Try it! Gregory used two MAC texture products, their Mixing Medium Shine, and Clear Gloss LipMix. He also used two shades (Grey Matter & Toasted Chestnut) from the Fall Trend Forecast Eye Palette.

MAC_Senior_Artist_Caroline_Donnelly_at_MAC_AW_Trends_Presentation

Unprocessed presented by Caroline Donnelly

Unprocessed is a celebration of a subject’s natural beauty. It’s natural, but not nude makeup. The colors are pulled from the natural undertones in the skin. Foundation is as sheer as you can get away with, and only used where necessary (so yes, bust out your MAC Face & Body – it’s that kind of look!). The blush Caroline applied with a 188 Duo Fibre brush for a very natural, diffused application. She also applied it slightly lower, to look like a child’s cheeks as she put it. Rather than apply a lip color, she actually just removed excess foundation from the model’s lips and let her natural lip color be the lipstick. If you don’t naturally have pigmented lips, a lip color in a shade to a natural lip pigmentation patted on could substitute. The brows, like the rest of the face in this look, are groomed but not overly so. They’re left a bit bushier, perhaps just a bit of gel on to keep them in place.

Try it! Caroline used a 188 Duo Fibre brush on her model’s cheeks.

What do you think? Are any of these trends intriguing to you?

A Dupe For The Makeup Eraser

If you’re a makeup enthusiast, or makeup artist with an internet connection, you’ve probably seen this ad or something similar to it:

makeuperaser

You’ve probably also seen the videos of women with full faces of makeup on impressively removing it with just this magical pink cloth. But when they started describing the properties of the cloth– soft, with a short side and a longer side, it reminded me of something. It reminded me of the microfiber cloth I got at the dollar store to clean my stainless steel with.

microfiber-cloth

So I decided to dig that cloth out from under the sink and toss it in the wash and give it a try. The instructions for The Makeup Eraser are–

1. Wash before using.

2. Wet with warm water (and wring out excess).

3. Using the shorter side, remove makeup by rubbing gently in a circular motion.

4. Wait for chorus of angels and your life to change, evidently.

So I decided to do the exact same thing with my microfiber cloth from the dollar store. And you know what happened?

My makeup came off. Easily. With water. No choir of angels though. But that means you can take your makeup off with a microfiber cloth. You don’t need to spend $20 on The Makeup Eraser. Just go to the dollar store, girls!

Bubbleshield Reusable Waterproof iPhone Sleeve

bubbleshield

I’m sure most of you are like me – your smartphone is pretty much an appendage. My phone never leaves my side. But that can be problematic when any sort of moisture is involved. Phone + water = no bueno. Show of hands if you’ve ever spilled something on your phone or dropped it into water…

Enter, BubbleShield! The BubbleShield is a genius little device brought to you by The Joy Factory. It’s a reusable, yet also disposable little sleeve that completely protects your smartphone (or tablet – there are many sizes) from water, dirt, and other hazards. While it looks like essentially a plastic ziplock baggie, it’s completely touch sensitive (meaning you can still text your friends, take instagram pictures, etc.) all while protecting your phone!

I put my BubbleShield to the ultimate test – I took it out to Knott’s Soak City! My phone was safe and sound, and I was able to take great pictures. I’ve also taken my phone into the bathtub– get your mind outta the gutter, I was using Pandora to listen to music while I soaked!

I know this isn’t beauty-related, but I am so enamored with my little BubbleShield I just had to tell you about it. It’s perfect for event coverage, because you never know what can happen when you’re on a crowded show floor. With PHAMExpo and CosmoProf coming up, I know my BubbleShield will come in handy! It even has a hook on one corner that you can attach a lanyard to if you like. I may do that when I’m at trade shows so I can have a hands free (read: swatcheriffic!) experience.

bubbleshield2

The BubbleShield I have is the “XL Smartphone” size and fits my iPhone 4s even with a case on just fine. The Joy Factory’s website has size charts to help you figure out what size you need based on what device you have. For the XL Smartphone size, it comes with 5 sleeves in a pack for $19.95. The packaging pictured above was just for a single sleeve so yours might look different if you order. As of right now, you can also use the code gigasavvy for 20% off your order. I do not know the end date of this code.

Foreo Luna Now At Sephora

lunaface

Great news! The FOREO Luna, aka my favorite skin care gadget evar, is now available at Sephora! Let’s quickly re-hash why I’m ALL about the Luna!

* No replacement brush heads (what you pay is what you pay – no added cost built in!)

*All silicone – fully rinseable – goes in the shower with you!

* Easier to keep CLEAN because there are no nooks and crevices (under the brush head of a Clarisonic = HORROR SHOW)

* Also works as anti-aging device (massage in serums with it for extra ‘wow factor’ from your serums, too)

* REALLY gentle, even for sensitive skin. (I use the delicate brush head on Clarisonic and Sensitive/Normal for Luna

* Holds a charge FOR-EV-ER. (seriously, I have had mine for MONTHS and I haven’t even charged it yet since the initial charge)

So yeah, the Luna is pretty much the most awesomest (yes, that’s a word now… bwahahaha) skin care thingy ever. And it’s at Sephora now! Which means you can earn BI points on your purchase, buy it during F&F to save $$, and if you aren’t as head over heels in love with it as I am, Sephora’s return policy is the greatest.

Anyone going to be trying out the Luna now that they’re at mama Sephora?! This thing has been life-saving/game-changing for me. When I went to BeWell Expo in October I had someone look at my skin under a microscope (which was definitely as daunting as it sounds), and she said my pores are TOTALLY clear. I owe it to this!! I was given an A+ in skin and it’s totes because of my little Luna.

Kevyn Aucoin The Eyelash Curler

kevyn_aucoin_the_eyelash_curler

This isn’t a new product by ANY means, but it is new to me. I’d heard amazing things about the Kevyn Aucoin The Eyelash Curler, but since I own several curlers I could never really be bothered to buy one, yanno? But recently their PR reached out to me and since it was on my “To-Try” list, I was REALLY excited to receive this in the mail!

Until receiving KA’s curler, I’ve been using the Extra Wide (34mm) curler by Koji. I picked it up in a local Korean grocery store for around $7. The extra wide curve appealed to me. It definitely fits my eye “pretty well”, but not perfect. I still occasionally pinched myself, and if you’ve ever done that with a curler you know– that shit HURTS. I also have one by ELF, and the cult-status curler by Shu Uemura. All of them were the same in that they fit my eye “pretty well”.

ka curler

Kevyn Aucoin’s lash curler fits my eye “really well”. It’s a pretty wide curve, but slightly less flat than the Koji. I really like this curler. It does a great job of curling the lashes, and the red pad makes it a lot easier to see your lashes while you’re curling. You can make sure you’re getting every lash.

Kevyn Aucoin The Eyelash Curler is available for $21.00 from Nordstrom, and other stores where Kevyn Aucoin is sold. Check back soon for comparisons with other curlers!

Morphé Brush of the Month Promo – BCA Edition

morphepink

Each month, Morphé Brushes has a brush of the month. That brush is usually discounted (10%) for the duration of the month. This month in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness, Morphé is changing it up a bit.

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Avon Product of the Week: mark. Full Service 5-Piece Pro Brush Kit

markbrushkit

Aren’t these cute? This week’s Avon product of the week is the mark. Full Service 5-Piece Pro Brush Kit. mark. is really pulling out all the stops during their anniversary year – the products they have been launching are so pretty.

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Introducing the Monday Mash-Up

mashup

In addition to now featuring an Avon or mark. product once a week, I am going to feature a combination of products each week that I love to use together…because beauty products don’t function in a vacuum! The Monday Mash-Up will highlight products that play well with others. It could be formulas that work well together, or colors I like pairing, or as in this week’s case, a combination of a tool + a product that work perfectly together.

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My New Favorite Skincare Gadget

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Let me introduce you to my skin’s new BFF – the Luna by Foreo. Like any good geek, I appreciate a gadget. I have tried a bunch. I own a Clarisonic, I at one point had a Neutrogena Wave… you get where I’m going. So when I heard from Foreo asking me if I wanted to try the Luna, I said SURE! It sounded really cool.

 

And you know what? It IS really cool. The Luna emits what are called T-Sonic™ pulsations, which is short for transdermal sonic pulsations. It feels like a very gentle vibration. Where other skincare devices have brush heads, the Luna has silicone “touch points” (which I refer to as “nubbins”, lol). They look like this:

nubbins

Now, I have the Normal/Sensitive Skin Luna. There is also an Ultra Sensitive and a Combination Skin version that have different configurations of nubbins:

LINEUP_IMAGECombo, Normal/Sensitive, Ultra Sensitive

If you’re thinking this whole idea of silicone nubbins looks kinda familiar, it’s sort of like you took one of these:

P262041_hero^^ Generic Cheapo Silicone Cleansing Pad ^^

And gave it magical powers. And I say magical powers because I love my Luna. Now, I’d be ignoring a great big pink elephant in the room if I didn’t somewhat compare it to my Clarisonic, because I know that’s what you all want to know. It has some major advantages. First and foremost, it’s way easier to CLEAN.

palm

As you can see, the Luna is all one compact, palm-sized piece. There’s no brush attachments, which means there’s no “parts” for water to seep in under and get gross. Take the head off your Clarisonic and really look down into the brush itself. It’s a pain in the ass to clean! The Luna can be fully submerged and washes clean very easily.

The second major advantage also has to do with the lack of brush attachments. No replacement costs. Clarisonic brush heads run you about $25 a pop.

But this isn’t just an alternative to a Clarisonic brush and I don’t want you to think of it that way. The Luna is its own thing. In addition to providing a very thorough, gentle clean, it also serves another purpose…

massageythingy

This is the Luna’s anti-aging side. In just 2 minutes or so, placing the Luna with the ridged side on certain points of the face (it comes with a little guide), this gadget gives you a tension-releasing massage to your face, stimulating your skin and helping to reduce wrinkles. It promises skin to look fuller and more youthful. Now, I’m not quite 27 so I don’t really worry about my skin looking youthful, but I do know it does something. I had a horrible headache, and could feel the tension in my forehead and temples. I used this little guy on those areas and I did notice improvement, so it DOES work for relieving tension. I don’t know enough about the science of wrinkles to really say whether or not it can do the other things it claims, and I don’t have much in the way of wrinkles to test that on. The benefits of facial massage are well-documented though, and that’s essentially what this does.

What I have noticed since I started using the Luna (and I’ve been using mine for a few weeks now – I really wanted to test it out!) is remarkably softer skin almost immediately. I also notice better absorption of my other skin care products, resulting in overall more balanced skin because it’s absorbing my moisturizer and toner etc. better than before.

As you all know I just went to Vegas, which involved staying up really late, wearing full face of makeup every day, being around lots of pollutants, eating slightly less than stellar health food (*lol*) and of course, lots of adult beverages. I’ve been really stressed lately aside from the blogging world, too. On top of all that, it was TOTM, which could have been the recipe for utter skin disaster. Even without all the other stuff going on, TOTM usually means at least one gnarly chin zit, right?

Nope! Nary a zit in sight. I even received heaps of compliments for my skin while I was in Vegas. (THANK YOU btw!!!) And absolutely no irritation whatsoever. Even when I use the delicate brush head on a Clarisonic, my skin is at least pink afterwards. I don’t have any irritation at ALL after using the Luna.

yayskin

This bare-faced picture was taken actually after a full day of running around doing errands etc. I washed my face this morning but haven’t washed it again tonight. My skin’s not perfect – but I am pretty darn happy with it, freckles and all. I have noticed improvement in the scarring on my chin, too, which is always awesome.

Now for the one downside to the Luna – cost. These high tech skin gadgets don’t come cheap. The Luna will run you $199. For a slightly cheaper option there is the Luna Mini at $139, which does have some differences (no variable speeds, slightly shorter battery life though both last hundreds of uses before needing a recharge). The Mini comes in cooler colors (aw shucks!), but if you can afford it either one would be a great investment in your skin. I think that whatever you can afford to spend on your skin care, spend it. I have regretted spending money on a makeup item but I have never regretted dropping cash on high quality skin care products that work well for me.

Before you get all huffy about the fact that this was a press sample item, I paid for my Clarisonic and the subsequent brush heads all myself and even though I like the Luna better for my face I still have/love/use Clarisonic for my body with the body brush head – so I’m not kidding when I say I believe in investing in skin care when you can afford it. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Foreo & the Luna (and even the Luna For Men!) check out their website: www.foreo.com. If I wasn’t clear, I love this thing and I love what it does for my skin! ;)