A Review: Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins

Save your skin this Winter with a moisturizer catered specifically for redness and irritation. I've had my eye on this product for quite some time. Every time I passed an Origins store, I would sample some on my hands and grow more and more convinced that this stuff is legit. Recently reformulated and repackaged, Dr. Weil's Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief line soothes my sensitive skin from the drying effects of the cold Winter air. This line claims to help those suffering from rosacea, pretty serious. However, it is meant for all skin types.

Some background: My skin type is combination oily/dry and has tendency toward redness and sensitivity from exfoliators and acne products.

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum, 1fl oz= $66

The serum glides on very smoothly and hydrates for instant relief, especially following use of an exfoliator. My skin literally feels like it's drinking it up. No oilyness or residue and a very clean feeling afterward.

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Face Cream 1.7 oz=  $61

It's after I apply the face cream that my skin appears calmer and feels softer. The cream isn't too heavy either. One of my favorite things about this line is the smell, which is unlike any scent I've ever smelled before. Upon first whiff, I wasn't sure what to think of it because it was such a new scent. It actually made me apprehensive about getting the product at first, but after sampling it for some time, I fell in love with the herbal earthy-ness of the smell.

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Skin-Calming Face Mask 3.4 fl oz= $35

The face mask is something I use only once a week or for those days when I'm really dried out. You're supposed to apply a thick layer and wait some time before removing it with a tissue (no washing your face afterward). That seems like a waste of product to me so I apply a thinner layer after using moisturizer without removing any of it. The next day, my skin feels repaired and healthy.

As far as purchasing this line again and considering the hefty pricetag, I would get the serum for sure because of how great it feels. I'm not sure about getting the entire line again, however, because I get the feeling that it may be more powerful than what my skin needs as of now. Rosacea is definitely not a problem of mine. My mom has also used this line and loves the cream, but wishes it had spf so it could be used in the daytime and had more anti-aging properties. She claims that, in the time she has started using this product, her freckles have gotten darker and I've noticed this too. I don't mind this because I use this line as a part of my nighttime skin regiment and am sure to use spf creme in the daytime. My main apprehension with Dr. Weil is the price. With that said, if sensitivity and redness is a major problem you are facing and you are in search of relief, Dr. Weil is the way to go.

j

The Art of Contour (tim)

I've been playing a lot with contouring these days. The products I have been using will be placed in a separate post, but I felt that this would be a useful post since I am guilty of overusing blush in places I probably shouldn't have and placing bronzers, well...too much everywhere! The result is often an unnatural look that makes it obvious you are wearing makeup. Well, that defies the point of makeup in the first place! Fortunately, once I discovered the art of contouring, it completely changed my makeup use in terms of the types of products I buy and how I use them.

JBean's Six-Step Makeup Strategy

The triangle of light, also called 'triangle of youth', includes the light reflected from the brows, the bridge of the nose, cheekbones, the upper lip, and chin. When applying makeup, the goal is to emphasize these areas in ways that draw light towards them, while exaggerating this effect by de-emphasizing the areas surrounding the triangle of light.

Designations (not necessarily to be applied in this order)

1- BRONZER: Place below cheekbones, bring it up to the temples, and along jaw line.

2- HIGHLIGHT (no shimmer): Apply straight down the center of your face from the center of the forhead, along the bridge of the nose, above upper lip, and finally to the chin. Then, place in under-eye area and along cheekbones. Blend this out well!

3- LID: eyeshadow of a light shade (used to emphasize in order to exaggerate the effect of the crease)

4- CREASE: eyeshadow of a darker shade (used to de-emphasize and create the illusion of deeper set eyes)

5- HIGHLIGHT (shimmer): Place below the brows and in the inner-eye corners to brighten and 'open' the eye. 

6- LINER: Can be eyeshadow, gel liner, liquid liner, or pencil liner. Used to create boldness that will make eyes stand out or pop.

Notice that blush is not included in these 6 designations and that is because very little of it needs to be used, which is why it will probably take me forever to reach pan in my blushes. When you are finished with the Six-Step Makeup Strategy, make a pretty smile to the mirror and simply use a stipple brush to dab the apples of your cheeks a couple times and blend slightly into the bronzer below the cheekbones. To ensure a natural, neutral look, remember, a little goes a long way. 

I hope this serves as inspiration to play around with a contouring strategy that suits you!

j

Loving: Spin Pins

I have to thank Grace for introducing me to this product. Spin pins are freakin' awesome! Because of the digital perm, I have been reluctant to use ties in my hair and like to maintain my curls so I twist my hair into a bun while I'm at work so that it will be curly at night.

Goody Simple Spin Pins, Brunette= $6.29

 Here's how to use:

Easy breezy!

I even put my hair up with spin pins after a shower and it helps keep my hair from dripping, keeps the perm curly, and best of all, no hair tie crease!

j

Using Now: CG Outlast Lipstain

Covergirl Outlast Lipstain= $7.84

CG Outlast Lipstain in 427, Nude Kiss
(By the way, the package color doesn't do the actual color justice)

No matter how many lipsticks or glosses I lust after, I am constantly reverting to lip stain. The one lip stain I am loving this season happens to be Covergirl Outlast Lipstain in Nude Kiss 427. I am in love with this color and the nudes from Revlon and Maybelline lip stain lines don't seem to achieve the sophistication that this one exudes. Even though it is called a nude, I find that it goes on brighter and more pigmented than a nude should, creating an overall 'happier' look. The color looks perfect against olive skin in the fall and is tame enough to wear to work. With lip stains, it is easy to apply and I don't have to worry about messy smudges throughout the day. It is also easy to carry around because the lipstick cap seals tight and the stick itself will not melt in the sunlight like lipsticks do. I will be wearing 427 for this year's Christmas Party for sure!

j

Wish List: Nars Danmari All About Cheeks Palette

Nars Danmari All About Cheeks Palette= $65

One blush alone is $27 and here you are getting 6 colors for $65. 

Palette includes: Cheek color in Hungry Heart (gold ivory), Super Orgasm( peachy pink with a lot of gold glitter), Desire (cotton candy pink), Casino (dark brown with golden shimmer), orgasm (peachy pink with golden shimmer), and sin (berry with gold shimmer).

 I suggest purchasing this palette if you don't own any Nars blushes and you are set. You've got your highlight in Hungry Heart, your contour in Casino and a punch of color, especially with the cotton candy pink!! I can see how this isn't travel-friendly but it would make a great member in the makeup collection.

j

Skin Care Routine

This post is dedicated to my friend, Tim, in an attempt to peak pique his interest.

Let it be known that I have been on a treacherous journey with my skin. I have had years of terrible acne and breakouts throughout high school, college, and even after. It wasn't until a year ago that I got my acne under control so that my blemishes could finally heal. Now that I feel like I'm on the road to better skin, I wanted to share my skin care routine with you.

Pond's Cold Cream, The Cool Classic, 6.1 oz=  $4.67

I typically wear makeup every day so, at night before I shower, I use a generous amount of Pond's Cold Cream to remove all my makeup. This was used by my grandmother as well as my mother and all her sisters. As far as I'm concerned, their skin has looked pretty wrinkle-free over the years. I use a generous amount all over my face and massage it well to pick up all the debris, removing dead skin cells in the process. Next, I use a tissue to wipe off the excess before I jump into the shower.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, 8oz= $5.99

A nurse practitioner turned me onto Cetaphil for my acne for the salicylic acid it contains. It is also very mild which was a relief after I had tried so many products that irritated my skin, leaving it dry and red (ahem..Proactiv). Before I go to bed I make sure to apply a moisturizer (not shown here). I will likely do a separate post on moisturizer because I've dabble in different ones each day. The next morning, I use a gentle exfoliant, Dermalogica Microfoliant. After washing my face, I apply an spf moisturizer and I'm ready for makeup!

Dermalogica Microfoliant= $50

This product actually inspired this post. I've been using it for 2 weeks so far and my skin has never felt softer or smoother. I use Dermalogica Microfoliant only once a day in the mornings since I found that using it twice a day irritated my skin a little.

It is a rice-based powder formula with a funny but tolerable smell. After pouring a small amount of the powder to wet hands and rubbing it together it looks like the picture above. When massaging it into the face it feels very gentle for an exfoliator, almost like clay. After the first time I used it, my skin felt somewhat soft but I was still skeptical. It wasn't until the third day that I saw a significant change in my complexion, I felt like my skin got brighter! I have never seen my skin so soft and smooth before. I'm so glad I found came across this product and I recommend it as a go-to exfoliator if you are looking for one. 

Dermalogica Microfoliant is a pretty pricy product, but it lasts for a long time. To add, I have made the choice to get serious about taking care of my skin now that my acne problem has subsided and, for the first time, I feel like I have a shot at it :)

A few other skin rules I abide by:

1.)  Do not touch your face during the day. I know this is hard and I make mistakes here and there, but the oil on your fingers harbors bacteria that can lead to break outs.
2. Always remove your makeup before going to bed. Cause' it's just gonna get all over your pillow.
3.) Wash your face every morning and night. Be sure not to leave residual soap along your hairline because this can also lead to acne.
4.) Sunblock. Use a spf moisturizer and an spf foundation. I try to stay out of the sun if I can help it. We don't want wrinkles now do we?
5.) Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! I do this every time after I wash my face.
6.) Always include your neck in your skin care regiment. The neck (wrinkles and lines) and the teeth are the telltale signs of aging that are very hard to hide later on. Prevention is a must.
7.) Diet. Spicy, oily, and sugary foods are terrible for complexion and my skin shows me no mercy. Lots of water is the way to go, unfortunately, I don't drink nearly as much as I should.

If you have a skin care regiment that you would like to share, please do!

j

A Review: Balmbini- Babies of theBalm Face Palette

The Balmbini Babies of theBalm Face Palette= $28

This set includes:
Downboy blush
Hot Mama blush
Mary-Lou Manizer (highlight)
ShadyLady in Insane Jane and Jealous Jordana (silver and teal shadows)
Plus Special Edition Tinted Lipgloss and a built in mirror

This is the first theBalm product I have purchased and it reminds me very much of Benefit in it's packaging style and printed pin-up ladies. What drew me to this palette was the Hot Mama Blush which looked like it could create a sun-kissed glow and the teal shadyLady shadow on the very right. 

Here's the breakdown:

Pigmentation- Great. Reminds me of the Kat Von Dee shadows in the sense that all you need is a little dab on your brush to get the color to stand out. Downboy was much less pigmented than Hot Mama which I found to be a very nice color on my skin. The highlight, Mary-Lou Manizer, is shimmery, though I wish it were a matte to balance out the other two shimmery shadows. 

Texture- Creamy shadows and blush. I didn't care for the lip glosses which were too sticky. 

Smell- The lip glosses smelled kinda gross like a cheap fruity scent. 

Application- The shadow was too dusty and ended up irritating my eyes big time. I've given these shadows several tries and I really like the color of the teal one, but I'm afraid it will do damage to my cornea if I continue. I don't know if the ingredients in the shadow or if it's me, but wearing this made my eyes turn bloodshot. Unfortunately since the glosses are too sticky for my taste, I haven't been tempted to wear this out much. 

Packaging- This is really awkward to carry around and store. I would not mind bringing it around if it was an all in one deal, meaning that included a brush and everything I needed and wanted for my face, however, this is just not the case. Not a fan of the cardboard either. 

Would I recommend this product? No. But this doesn't mean I'm turned off by theBalm products altogether. See photo below of another theBalm palette I am willing to try. 

 The draw to this palette is that all the colors are matte and cutely named after a different Matt. Plus, each color looks so workable!

j

Using Now: Mascara

I have been able to test two popular drugstore brand mascaras which, let's face it, seems to be more or less equivalent to department store brands. Chosen as one of Allure magazine's top mascaras for 2011, Maybelline's Volum' Express The Falsies Mascara has been on my radar from all the buzz it's been getting from fellow bloggers. I was so confident about it that, the moment I got this product, I threw out all of my old mascaras, ready to embark on something new.

Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Mascara= $7.49

Supposedly a good dupe for Lancome Hypose Mascara, The Falsies proved to be very promising upon first use. This product made my lashes appear fuller and longer than I've ever seen them. The applicator brush somehow was able to comb through each of my lashes spectacularly without clumping. I was in love! However, I have been using it for 2 months already and have discovered that it's clumping on me more and more these days. Perhaps this is because it is not as fresh and the solution is being exposed to the air of my cold apartment, but now I am on the fence about whether I would pick up this product again. Regardless, I am continuing to use it on a daily basis because I still like this product despite having to dirty my fingertips by de-clumping every now and then.

On the topic of clumpyness, let's talk about another mascara that was getting some buzz.

Loreal Telescopic Mascara= $7.59

See how compact and tiny the wand is

L'Oreal's Telescopic Mascara has neat packaging and an impressive wand that just looks like it can get into the nooks and crannies of your eyelashes but BEWARE. This product is clump-central if you use it on your top lashes! Not to totally bash this product, I have to say that I found proper use for it strictly on my lower lashes, which I often skip unless I feel like kicking my makeup up a notch. In fact, this product does so well for that area as well as the fine hairs of the top inner lashes, that I like to use The Falsies together with Telescopic. As of now, this mascara regiment works for me even if it means carrying around two different mascaras, though please let me know if you have any favorite mascaras!

j

Nicki Minaj for OPI

OPI= $9

Nicki Minaj's OPI Collection is out. "Save me" and "Pink Friday" look interesting. What color would you get?

j

Favorite Powder

This will be a bit of a surprise. When it comes to foundation, I get really fussy, but my favorite powder happens to be a drugstore-find.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder, Light= $8.46

This product is solid, it's something that I find myself buying over and over again. It comes on creamy and soft, creating a look that is polished and even. No matter what I am wearing be it tinted moisturizer, moisturizer alone or foundation, just adding this powder will improve my complexion drastically.  Plus, I am VERY oily and this product helps with the shine. Downsides are that it may need re-application after 8 hours and the packaging is kind of dinky plasticky. It swivels open to reveal a compact mirror with a sponge applicator that looks like it would crumble on me.

EcoTools Bamboo Bronzer Brush= $9.99

I use the EcoTool Bronzer brush to apply my powder even though it is meant for bronzer. The hair is so soft yet tightly held together that I find it works perfectly for picking up the powder from the pan and evenly distributing it all over my face. The handle, size, and feel of the brush is superior quality despite the low price. When I pair these two products together I can build the powder to my liking depending on how much attention my skin needs for the day.

j