Monday, June 27, 2011

Nars Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer, Oil-Free

According to Sephora:
"This oil-free primer instantly refines the look of pores, regulates shine and mattifies the skin to create an immaculate canvas. Mineral Powders manage oil in the t-zone and other shine-prone areas while blurring the look of pores, fine lines and wrinkles, setting the stage for a velvety-matte, makeup-ready finish."

My opinion:
The only benefit I experienced with this product was smooth makeup application. The primer sinks in quickly and makes your skin feel matte and makeup-ready, but that's it. My liquid foundation brushed on more easily, but as far as managing oil/shine and refining pores this was a big disappointment. My face got shiny in the normal amount of time, my pores didn't look any smaller, and my face didn't look any more matte than usual. I tried to give this product the benefit of the doubt and try it different ways (after moisturizer, before moisturizer, on damp skin, etc.), but in the end it really just didn't perform. At $32 per 1 oz, I would not recommend or repurchase this again. The price is way too steep for only making foundation application easier. There has to be a better primer out there... And so the quest continues.

Have you guys tried this? If so, let me know what you think!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Upcoming Reviews!

Some products I can't wait to gab about:

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish- Soft and Gentle
Smashbox Softbox Palette
Nars Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer Oil-Free

EOS Lip Balm

Sooo... I will admit right away that what first caught my eye with this little lip balm was definitely the packaging. I'm a sucker for cute shapes, colors, etc., and this was no exception. I had also heard really awesome things about it, so the street cred. + the adorableness made me want to purchase it. I am SO glad I did.

First of all, EOS, which stands for Evolution of Smooth, is a relatively new company specializing in natural, organic beauty products. Their lip balm is 100% natural, as is very obvious when you take a look at the tiny ingredient list, and 95% organic. I recognized every ingredient with the exception of one- and upon googling it turned out to be a naturally occurring chemical found in many flowers. That's wonderful! After doing some research about common ingredients in other lip products, it's kind of scary. The brand Softlips puts BHT (butylated hydroxy tolulene) in their products, and Chapstick brand uses aluminum in theirs! If you're wondering, as I did, what the heck BHT is, it's a chemical commonly found in cosmetics. It's all kinds of bad though- it can be metabolized by the body and act as a free radical causing DNA damage, it is a known estrogen mimicker, it easily penetrates the skin, and it carries the stigma of likely being carcinogenic. So needless to say, I'm really going to try to be diligent about avoiding this stuff. Not trying to be a crazy person, just trying to put the word out that people should maybe start reading ingredient lists before they buy...

Moving on to the performance of this adorable lip balm... When you unscrew the cap, the first thing to notice is of course the shape. There is no twisting up the product or anything, it's all right there. I got the summer fruit flavor, which smells like a peachy, ripe summer drink. I personally don't love love love the scent, but it's nice and fruity. The consistency of this stuff is what's really interesting. It's very compact, and not gloppy or glossy. I can't stand chapstick or gloss that I can really feel on my lips at all times, and especially stuff that is like a magnet for my hair to stick to, so this is really great. It feels like an oil almost- very light and it immediately starts sinking in. It doesn't have any sheen or color, it just honestly makes your lips look moist and healthy. I'm loving it. I reapply pretty frequently just because it keeps me from biting my lips while zombie-bored at work, but now that I've had it off for a while, I do notice an improvement. My lips are much more soft and supple than before I started using this. Some other quirky little perks of the product- one swipe covers both lips, the shape makes it super easy to find in your purse, and since it has a twist top, you don't have to worry about the cap popping off. Well done EOS- you got me with the packaging, totally made me a believer with the performance, and now that you offer other flavors I want more!

Have any of you guys tried this? Let me know what you think!     <3 Lauren

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

SOO Excited!

Hello fellow beauty-lovers!

After taking a lengthy hiatus from blogging, I'm back and more excited than ever to test and review products, post a ton of pictures, give makeup tips and tricks, have a lot of fun, and connect with other gals excited about beauty! I'm hoping to review anything beauty- makeup, skincare, fragrance... All things that I adore. Keep checking back, I promise there will be good things to come!

<3 Lauren