Add Some Matte: Hard Candy Turn Me Matte Review

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When the weather starts to turn a little warm, I swear the oil production in my t-zone ramps up like crazy! I suddenly become very shiny, and it's hard to find solutions to mattify. There are a few primers out there that help, but I admit that I'm not a big fan of the feeling of heavy primers on my skin. I've tried milk of magnesia as a mattifying face primer, but the pH is pretty high, so long term this isn't a great solution for the skin. But, it definitely works!

Recently I received an email telling me about new mix in drops from Hard Candy. They can be used alone, as a primer or you can add them to your foundation, creating a matte look and absorbing oil all day. I found them that day during a quick trip to the store to buy groceries, and it was a no brainer to add this to my cart!

1

Shine Free and Pore Free: Perfecting with Dr. Brandt Pores No More

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I have combination skin. My t-zone is shiny (though this issue is much worse in the summer), and the rest of my skin is normal, bordering on dry. This combo is particularly difficult this time of year, when keeping my cheeks adequately hydrated gives me a nice, shiny nose and forehead.

I've tried just about every silicone based foundation primer out there, and I've found that...well, they're tricky. You need only a tiny, tiny amount, or else everything smears around and looks horrible. I also have much better results when I pat the primer on to my skin, rather than rubbing it around with my fingertips.

1

New Adventures in Lashes: Stila HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara and Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer

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I've made no secret of my love of all things lashes. I'm a big fan of long and lush lashes, but I hate, hate, hate falsies. I think they are a major pain and I refuse to use them. So, I'm always on the hunt for new and exciting mascaras! When Stila released their HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara and Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer, I was pretty excited! I love Stila, and with product names like that, you know that I was all over these products.

1

Tarte CC Undercover Cover and Eye Primer Review

Product Sent for Review



Have you seen the goodies that Tarte has been coming out with lately? I admit that I've been testing these two for a month or so, and I'm just now getting around to mentioning them. But, they're pretty amazing.




Tarte Colored Clay CC Undereye Corrector
"This multi-tasking, full coverage corrector expertly masks undereye discolorations and dark circles in two universal shades. The light-diffusing particles brighten undereye areas and soften the appearance of fine lines as color-correcting colored clay helps to offset the look of dark circles."

This is a faintly peach concealer, and while it comes in a pan, it does feel hydrating. I have the light-medium shade, there's also a tan-medium. The peach is just enough to color correct my undereye circles, though I think it is more of a light-medium coverage. I do still add a little concealer over the corrector, though I don't need much. This is only because I need more coverage, otherwise it blends into my skin and looks pretty natural.

The corrector stays put all day long. I've been using it quite a bit lately (I definitely have problems sleeping the further along I get in my pregnancy!) I know I'll be using this corrector after the baby arrives, basically every day!

Tarte Colored Clay CC Eye Primer Stick
"Infused with color-correcting and skin-nourishing colored clay, this smoothing eye primer absorbs excess oil on the lids, offering a neutral base for the perfect eyeshadow application. The lightweight waterproof formula works overtime to address the appearance of redness and discoloration... Simply prep the lid with the easy-glide, neutral pencil tip prior to makeup application for better wear and truer shadow payoff that can last for up to 12 hours."

This eye primer is pretty similar to the NYX Eye Shadow Base that I talk about all the time. They're both creamy and offer coverage to help cover up my visible vessels. I love that. But there are a few important differences. First, the Tarte is a bit... thinner? I'm not sure how to describe this. The consistency is a bit different (one is a stick and one comes in a pot afterall), and the Tarte definitely leaves a thinner layer on my lids. But it still covers everything up, and it is a little bit closer to my actual skin tone. And with the Tarte as a primer, my shadows do last a little bit longer.

Finally, it really is easier to be able to just draw the primer all over my lid and pat it in to blend it, rather than dipping my finger into a big pot. This is definitely a product that I'll be repurchasing!

Tarte Cosmetics
Product Sent for Review

9

Red, Red, Go Away? L'Oreal BB Magic Anti-Redness Review

Product Sent for Review



Yes, that really is a green BB cream. And I tried it. And kind of liked it.

The whole idea behind this product is color correction. Yes, using green (and yellow, though that doesn't work as well as green) on your face will "cancel" any redness. (Read more about color correction makeup.)

I do have some redness, I have rosacea and I have good days and bad days. I'm hesitant to seek anything "more" for my rosacea since I'm about 30 weeks pregnant, and when I'm not pregnant I'm under great control. Instead, I'm going to suck it up and see what happens after I deliver. So, I'm all about color correction!

The great thing about color correcting is that it cancels out your problem color, and in return you get to use a lot less traditional coverage product, whether that is concealer, foundation or regular BB Cream. It's great! However, you really should only color correct in the problem areas. It's pretty easy to turn your whole face green!



The interesting thing about this color corrector is that the light lotion comes out of the tube green, but as you rub it in, it turns into a more skin tone color (yes, it is much too dark to be a good color match for me). However, it still color corrects! It is magic.

So, I put a small pump of this green lotion on the back of my hand, then lightly dot it where I have redness. I rub it around and it becomes more skin toned, and my redness goes away. Because it is a bit darker than my skin, I cover it up with something else (usually foundation or concealer, but whatever I'm using that day works). My redness is gone for the rest of the day. It's pretty good for larger areas that need to be corrected, I would stick with a thicker correcting concealer for smaller problem areas.

L'Oreal
Product Sent for Review

1

Top 10 Primers: My Favorites For Your Face, Eyes, Lashes and Even Your Lips!

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1. MAC 'Prep + Prime' Skin Refined Zone Treatment (buy it here): I bought this primer after seeing Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog use it in her video on using the MAC Masterclass makeup brushes. It can go under or over makeup, smooths pores and instantly mattifies my skin. It keeps me pretty matte for most of a day, but isn't quite enough for the middle of the summer or a long, 12-14 hour day.

2. Milk of Magnesia Primer: Have I talked about this enough yet? Yes, it's the ultimate mattifier. It can go under (but not over) makeup, I reach for it all summer long for my t-zone.

3. Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Primer (buy it here): Lightweight and it hides all pores. Perfect for when I'm feeling less than perfect myself!

4. Freeze 24-7 Freeze and Go (buy it here): This is even more pore erasing, I reach for this primer most days.

5. IT Cosmetics Tightline (buy it here): Technically this is a primer, so it made the list! Really, this is a black mascara with the smallest brush you've ever seen. It gets really close to the base of your lashes, so similar to the tightlining eye liner technique, it helps make your lashes look much thicker.

6. NYX Shadow Base (buy it here): I talk about this stuff all the time, but really I love it. This is the shadow primer I use most often, I love that it covers up all of my blood vessels and keeps shadows looking great all day.

7. Too Faced Shadow Insurance (buy it here): If I'm going to wear something that is a bit more powdery, I'll use this one. They also make a great glitter version!

8. Urban Decay Potion Primer (buy it here): Also great for everyday eye makeup, a little less "tacky" than TFSI, so better for normal shadows.

9. ELF Glitter Primer: Pretty amazing stuff! This grabs onto any glittery or powdery shadows and just won't let go all day long!

10. Mally Lipstick Primer: I'm not sure why this isn't available alone (it comes in the perfect red lip kit), but it is a whitish liquid that dries to clear. It makes any lippie last all day long, I swear to you! Even with all of my coffee sipping. I save it for "special" occasions. Which means I break it out about once every 6 months. I should probably use this more often!


What are your favorite primers?





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14

Skipping Primers: My Beauty Confession

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Ever since I wrote a post over on Babble about primers (There’s a Primer For That), I feel like I'm surrounded by discussion amongst my friends about primers, I get emails about new ones hitting the market, and there are just primers everywhere, they are taking over the world. Seriously.

And I have a confession. I don't always prime before my makeup. (Actually, I prime always before eye shadow. Everything else, not so much.) Why? Because I'm a girl without a lot of time, obviously. Sometimes I just don't have time to let my moisturizer sink in before I need to reach for a primer and get on with it.

Instead, what I usually end up doing to prepare my skin for makeup is to use a good moisturizer and I never skip my eye cream. I like to have everything nicely hydrated and my skin nicely plumped up, it helps my makeup glide on a bit better and prevents any creases. It works pretty well, though obviously having a little more slip from a primer gives better (though slower) results.

This is where the Olay comes in. They sent me 2 products to try out, one of which is made for lazy people like me, the Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex. It is a daily moisturizer with a "micro-filler formula with light-diffusing particles helps to reduce the look of pores and fine lines to instantly smooth the skin’s texture." Basically, it is dual purpose, moisturizer (with lots of anti-aging properties) and primer in one. You had me at "micro-filler." Perfect, it's like it was made for me! They also sent the Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream & Lash Serum Duo. I've been using the products for a few weeks now, though not my full 4-6 week period of a typical skin care review. Consider my impressions preliminary, but I'll add an update later if anything changes!


Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex
So, this is micro-filling, light diffusing and pore smoothing daily wonder-cream. It comes in an airless pump and is light a thick lotion, not really a cream. One of the main ingredients is silicone (see the image below with ingredients, it's on the right), similar to most primers. You can feel that there is a little slip when you apply it, but mostly it feels like lotion. It sinks into my skin very quickly and leaves no residue behind. And yes, it is great under my makeup. It is more like a primer than my usual lotion, and foundation definitely looks smoother when this lotion is underneath.

What's great about this lotion is that it isn't just a moisturizer, as part of the Regenerist line, Olay has put a lot of anti-aging ingredients in it.

• Niacinamide: more about how Niacinamide fights aging
• Panthenol: Vitamin B5, it acts as a humectant and emollient. It can also accelerate wound healing and has some anti-inflammatory action

Here's where it stacks up on my anti-aging inventory (remember, this is for an entire routine, not just 1 product).




Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream & Lash Serum Duo

This is actually 2 products in one, and I like that they come together. Really, I was mostly using the Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream, and I admit that I haven't really used the Lash Serum yet because I'm in the middle of testing a different serum.

The Eye Cream feels just like a basic eye cream. It is nicely hydrating and is also heavier on the silicones than most other eye creams. Which makes it perfect under makeup! I don't really feel a lot of silicone in the formula, but it does feel smooth. My concealer applies nicely over it, I do think things look a bit smoother than with a regular eye cream so I'll be using this as my "every day" go-to for now on.

Because this eye cream is Regenerist it also has some anti-aging ingredients.
• Niacinamide: more about how Niacinamide fights aging







Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream & Lash Serum Duo
Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Olay through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Eye Cream & Lash Serum Duo and Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex, all opinions are my own.

4

My Current Go-To Primer: Freeze 24-7's Freeze and Go

Product Sent for Review

I've been all about primers lately, trying out Clinique's SuperPrimers and writing There's a Primer for that over on Babble.

Recently, Freeze 24-7 sent me a tube of their Freeze and Go, and I have to say that it's the primer I'm reaching for over and over now!

This primer does have a lot of silicone in it (which is great for slip and smoothness, helping make your pores disappear), but it looks like a white lotion and feels very lightweight, it has a light citrus scent. I need only a very small amount, about the size of a small pea, for my entire face. It is an off white color, but once it is applied it becomes invisible. I don't see much difference in my skin with just the primer alone, but the primer definitely makes a difference once I've applied some foundation over it!

The Freeze and Go does make my foundation smoother and less noticeable. More than any other primer, it seems to brighten my complexion, making me look more awake. That's really important for the days that I'm post call!


Ingredients:
Cyclopentasiloxane, C30-45 Alkyl Cetecryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isohexadecane, Silica, Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, PEG/PPG-20/23 Dimethicone, Water (Aqua), Aminobutyric Acid, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf Extract, Cymbidium Grandiflorum (Orchid) Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Oil), Punica Granatum Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Extract, Citris Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Extract, Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Eugenol, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyetheyl Cellulose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Stearic Acid, Steareth-2, Steareth-20, Aluminum Benzoate, Mica, Disodium Distyrylbiphenyl Disulfonate, Aluminum Chloride, Triethan olamine, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben.

Freeze 24/7
Product Sent for Review

2

Clinique Superprimer Face Primers: Does a Little Tint Cure All Ills?

Product Sent for Review


Lately, I seem to be a big sucker for primers, and if a primer can also color correct skin imperfections then that is even better!

Recently Clinique sent me their new primers, which are multi-taskers that do both! (I fully admit that I was pretty excited about these and had already featured them the day before they suddenly showed up on my door, they're in my There's a Primer for That post over on Babble.)



There are 6 different shades, well 5 if you don't consider the neutral to be a color. You can read more about how to color correct your skin, but the idea is that you use a corrector that is opposite of the problem color on the color wheel. For redness, you need a green corrector, the deep blues of undereye circles need a peach, sallow skin (usually too yellow, you're washed out) should have a purple corrector. The depth of color should be deeper or more intense if you need to correct a more intense color or have a darker skin tone.

The 5 shades of correction for the Clinique primers above (left to right) are for Redness, Dullness, Discolorations, Discolorations in Deeper Skins and Sallowness ("Universal" is last and it is clear when applied). I've rubbed them in at the bottom of my arm and you can see that they do rub in pretty well, my arm doesn't look like stripes of different colors. Always reassuring that the color corrector isn't going to turn your skin all purple like Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands.

The primers are silicone based and you can feel that in the formulations, they're almost like a dry lotion with slip. They apply easily on the skin and are great under foundation. I've tried all of the colors (yes, even the Discolorations in Deeper Skins) and all of them disappeared into my skin. The one that is most useful to me is the redness corrector with my rosacea, and it did correct some of the redness but I still had to use my FACE Stockholm redness corrector in some areas. I haven't decided if this is because the corrector is yellow instead of the more traditional green or the sheerness of the formulation.

The primers are great under foundation, they definitely help to make any skin imperfections less noticeable and my foundation looks smoother. Clinique recommends using only one formulation of the primers at a time, so you should select the one for your main concern. You can still pair them with other color correctors, like I have, or also use a foundation that helps any secondary concerns. For example, if your skin has both redness and discoluration, use the redness primer with Even Better Makeup, Clinique’s foundation for uneven skin tone.

What do you think? I've been expecting color correction to become very popular soon, so this new line of primers wasn't really a surprise to me. (After all of the contouring we've seen, this makeup artist secret seemed like an obvious next mainstream trend.)

Clinique
Product Sent for Review

4

Products to Make Your Makeup Last

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Longevity is important for events like prom and weddings, so don't forget to prime and set! A little spritz of a makeup setting spray afterwards can make a really big difference in how long your makeup look lasts. I shared a lot of tips on helping your makeup last all day over on Mom.me, and here Christy Ann shares her favorite products for making that look last! These same tips work great for the summer, when you don't want your makeup melting off of your face.

Primers
• Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer
• Bare Escentuals Prime Time Brightening Foundation Primer
• Tarte Clean Slate Primer
• Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation Primer

Powders
• Cover FX Translucent Setting Powder
• Ben Nye Banana Powder
• Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder
• MAC Translucent Setting Powder

Setting Sprays
• MAC Fix+ Setting Spray
• Urban Decay De Slick Oil Control Setting Spray (Urban Decay Makeup Setting Sprays Review)
• Model In A Bottle Setting Spray


Christy Ann is an accomplished and creative make up artist with experience in bridal, fashion, print and beauty consulting. Christy Ann has worked with prestigious lines such as Trish McEvoy, Stila and Laura Mercier before establishing her own company Christy Ann Cosmetics. Christy Ann has always had a creative flair and passion for the artistry of make up. With over 18 years experience, she has recently created her own unique cosmetic line to complement any style. Christy's work is described as crisp, clean, precise, and distinctive.

Christy Ann Cosmetics
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0

Under Eye Primer: Do You or Don't You? Which are Best?

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For today's Ask a Beauty Blogger, I have a question from Arianna. I've been asked this a few times recently, and at first I told Arianna to check out my concealer review series. I typically just use an eye cream, and once that has sunk into the area I'll apply a well pigmented concealer. That most often means Make Up For Ever's Full Cover Concealer or It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer. I do have a very visible vessel under one eye, so some days I'll add a little FACE Stockholm Corrector in green (to correct the red) underneath. That's about it.

So, while it experimented with my primers, I asked my blogging friends in the Beauty Blog Coalition for their picks. I got a huge number of responses!


1. MAC's Prep and Prime Vibrancy Eye primer (get it here): One of my closest blogging friends, Pam from Pammy Blogs Beauty said that this MAC was her pick. "It is my HG under eye primer. Highly recommend!"

2. Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer (get it here): Another good friend, Kelly from Goldylox Reviews said this Smashbox works so well, it will make your concealer out perform your foundation! "This primer does a little bit of everything, except provide tinted coverage. This makes my concealer stay on so well that some days, when my foundation trials don't go so well, I'm left with perfect eyes and melasma-ridden cheeks. So if your foundation tends to head for zee hills, make sure you look blended throughout the day."

3. Khuraira Dark Circle Complex Primer: Christina from My Cosmetic Bag liked this primer when she met the company's owner last year at IMATS.

4. LORAC behind the scenes eye primer (get it here): Kath, The Fabzilla is my Hawaiian beauty connection, and she had a great pick, though like me she doesn't usually use a specific product. "I just use my eye primer and lately I've been loving LORAC behind the scenes. If she has oily under eyes, she should skip under- eye moisturizer in the morning, it works for me!"

5. Miracle Skin Transformer Treat & Conceal (get it here): Brooke from Blushing Noir loved this concealer since it includes so many extras.

6. glo minerals Under Eye Primer (get it here): Christa from Periously Pale only uses this primer, if she remembers to prime that area!

7. Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer (get it here): Daria from Time4Beauty recommended this primer as well. While her blog is in Russian, if you let Google translate it for you it will work!

8. YSL Touche Eclat (get it here): Marie from I am the Makeup Junkie recommended this as a primer. (Note, she hasn't reviewed it on her site, so I've linked to my review.) I've only tried using it alone, so I thought it was a great idea to layer it!

Not pictured
Quite a few women said that if they bother to prime this area (I'm not alone in not priming it!), then they just use whichever primer they're using on their face.

Meredith from RetroDiva's Beauty says, "I just use regular primer - whatever I'm using on my face, usually something to control oil. If I have bad undereye circles, I'll use a touch of Urban Decay's Eden. But honestly? I never thought about a separate product for priming under the eyes. I have a limit to how many products I'm going to fool with. One primer seems enough."

Carleen from Beauty and Fashion Tech said, "I just use the same primer on my whole, face including under the eyes. The only other primer I use is a shadow primer and I don't think I would use that under my eyes.

Also, Sarah-Jean from The Fashionable Housewife said, "I only use Urban Decay primers... nothing else I've tried works for me."

So, for the last few weeks I've been experimenting with priming my under eye area. I kept the recommendations of my friends in mind, but I only tried items I already had on hand (which was about 75% of the products above, my stash might be a bit large...) and these are the ones I had the best results with!

1. Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer
2. MAC's Prep and Prime Vibrancy Eye primer
3. Urban Decay's Pore Perfecting Primer:


So, I want to know: Do you prime this area? If so, which products do you use and do you have any tips? I want to know!


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8

Urban Decay's Pore Perfecting Primer: Yes, This is a MUST HAVE

While I always wear primer under my eye shadow, foundation primers is something I have a love/hate relationship with. Sometimes I can't get enough of it, particularly in the mid-summer when I need to use a little milk of magnesia to help with my shinies. So, the new(ish) primer from Urban Decay sounded amazing, and was enough to get me to try foundation primer again.

Yes, this really is pore perfecting. Truly, it doesn't feel gloppy at all. It is a light taupe/skin color, a bit opaque and it feels silky. It has a dry gel consistency, and you only need a very small amount. I used about the size of a small pea for my entire face, and this was more than enough. It doesn't pill up at all (Smashbox, I'm looking at you), and just seems to sink in to my skin immediately.

Pretty much any foundation applied over this primer looks much smoother and my pores definitely look smaller. Strangely enough, the only foundation that it doesn't seem to make a difference for is the Urban Decay Naked Foundation. I think that foundation simply doesn't need the primer. I've been using it with everything else from CoverGirl to Make Up For Ever and it makes a big difference!

Are you using a foundation primer? What do you look for in a primer, pore perfection or mattifying?


Urban Decay

4

Proactiv Daily Oil Control: A More Acceptable Method to Mattify

I know I'm not the only one that spends the summer dealing with a shiny face. My post on using Milk of Magnesia as a mattifying primer is very popular this time of year. I love it, it really does work. However, there are a lot of people that are very reluctant to put something under their makeup that usually is helping them... well, be more "regular".

Enter Proactiv's Daily Oil Control.

First, yes, you can order it without subscribing to get the whole system on a semi-regular basis. (Order a single product from the Proactiv Catalog, not the regular site.)

Second, while it isn't quite as effective as the Milk of Magnesia is for me, it's about 95% as effective, which still means it vastly outperforms any other mattifier I've ever tried.

It is a milky white fluid, and it really has the consistency of a light lotion that has been mixed with water. When you apply it to your face it dries within a minute or two, and you just can't tell that it is there. No residue to see or feel, no whitish cast to your face... just like nothing was applied. I can apply makeup right over it without any issues.

While my face isn't 100% matte throughout the day with Daily Oil Control it is pretty close. I haven't noticed any effect on makeup wear throughout the day. So, if you want to be matte, but the milk of magnesia idea doesn't work for you, this is definitely the product to check out!

Proactiv

3

Manna Camera Ready Primer Review: Poreless and a (bit) Less Shiny

I have a love/hate relationship with foundation primers. Sometimes I can't get enough of them, and then I'll go through a few months without touching one. Manna Kadar's Camera Ready Primer is one of the good ones that makes me wonder why I go through those anti-primer phases.

At first glance, it doesn't seem that unique. It is a clear silicone based gel, which reminds me of Smashbox's beloved primer, and the millions of copies. I have an issue with the Smashbox primer though. When I use it after moisturizer, if I'm at all impatient I end up with little silicone pills all over my face. #epicfail

But, the Camera Ready doesn't pill. Even when I use it with moisturizer still wet on my face, there is no pilling! It feels silky during application and it dries clear with a semi-matte finish. When I apply foundation over it, it does help everything look more smooth and my pores are definitely smaller.

What is interesting about the primer is that it does help keep me a bit more matte. While it doesn't have the shine fighting abilities of Milk of Magnesia when used as a foundation primer, it is definitely mattifying.


Manna Kadar Cosmetics

1

5 Year of Favorite Products: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation Primer

I'm not an every day foundation primer girl, but when I am this is the one I reach for between product review periods. It is lightweight, helps create a flawless finish and doesn't interfere with makeup application (yes, some primers actually do!)

You can check out my MUFE HD Foundation Primer Review for more details.

Make Up For Ever

2

An Eye Shadow Primer Confession

In the past, my holy grail eye shadow primer has always been Urban Decay's Primer Potion. In the past I've made half hearted attempts to find something better, cheaper, with packaging that doesn't waste most of the product... (Yes, UDPP is now available in a tube. Note that tube is huge and I have 3 backup wands in my stash right now. Yes, there was a good sale on-line for $4 each, don't look at me like that.)

10

Unofficial MUFE Week: I Check Out the Make Up For Ever HD Products

I said a few weeks ago that I'd be reviewing a lot more Make Up For Ever products soon, and I'm finally getting around to it. I've declared this unofficial MUFE week, and I'll be reviewing a different product each day! Overall I have to say that I'm definitely a new MUFE fan, and I can see why the brand has been getting raves for so long.

I thought we'd start off today with the HD Primer, because where better to start than the first step of your makeup?

5

A New Holy Grail Eye Shadow Primer? Benefit Stay Don't Stray

As part of my never ending quest to try every primer on the market (it's similar to my obsession with trying every eye makeup remover, useless but fun to fill my time, and you get the benefits when I can tell you which products not to buy), I finally decided to give in to my craving for Benefit's Stay Don't Stray primer.

I have a little bit of a spotty relationship with Benefit items. I love Benetint. I've had great success with many of their primers and concealers. But some of their "amazing" quick fixes (like the Brow Zing) I've not had good luck with. So, I was a bit nervous about spending $24 on this primer, but I figured that you can only visit a product so many times at Sephora before you need to take the plunge and bring it home with you. Plus I was lured in by the promise that it is not only a primer for eye shadow, but also for concealer!

5

Milk of Magnesia: The Secret to a Matte Face?

Getting a matte face in even the most hot and humid weather is definitely possible. It doesn't take a hard to find primer or a finely milled powder that you can only buy in Paris. Nope. What it takes is a quick visit to your local drugstore for Milk of Magnesia (MoM). Really. You can use Milk of Magnesia as a makeup primer and it will keep your face super matte!

I thought this tip was crazy when I first heard about it as well, but I looked it up on Makeup Alley, where hundreds of girls have written about it in product reviews and on various forums. There are also quite a few YouTube videos about how to do this properly.

I've been doing this for a few weeks. I bought Phillips MoM, but that was because the Walmart brand was out of every size except what appeared to be a full gallon. I didn't want a gallon. It's best to buy the Original flavor, but if you have to buy a flavor make sure that it does not contain Mineral Oil, since this can cause clogged pores and breakouts.

I apply the MoM as soon as my daily moisturizer has fully absorbed. Shake the bottle well and pore a small amount into the plastic cup that comes with the MoM (you don't want to get bacteria into your bottle, so excess from the cup should just be washed down the sink). I dip my finger into the cup and apply a small amount across my nose, onto the center of my cheeks and up onto the center of my forehead. Only apply to the areas that you get oily. I rub in until I can't see it, and then give the MoM a minute or two to dry. Areas that have too much MoM can get a white chalky residue, just rub this off.

You can apply makeup directly over the MoM, but I find that foundation applies more easily if I apply a primer first.

Using Milk of Magnesia has dramatically cut down on shine for me. Much more so than any primer, oil absorbing product or powder ever has in the past. I no longer need to repowder my t-zone during the day, my face stays matte all day long.

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Shine Relief: Mac's Prep + Prime Skin Refined Zone

While the rest of the country is enjoying fantastic, amazing spring weather, here in So Cal things haven't been quite so nice. We hit the triple digits this week, and with the AC in my hospital on the fritz (I'm basically living there this month, hence, the lack of posts), you can bet that my area was absurdly hot. It was hot and sticky and there was no relief in site. By noon each day I was a shiny mess and no amount of blotting paper (I love those Clean & Clear ones) or powder would help.

So, I dug through my box of recently received items (yes, a perk of the blog, I have way too much stuff around here, but not helpful when you move into a new place and have boxes and boxes of stuff you need to try out and write about...). Anyways, I'm getting off track. I looked through my box of tricks and found this recently released product from Mac. I also have the powder from this collection around here somewhere, but I seem to have misplaced it in my move across town. Hopefully I'll find it soon and report back. In the meantime, I'm loving this primer!

It's a milky white liquid that you apply under foundation. Be careful to apply it after your moisturizer is dry, otherwise they seem to kind of glom together, which makes it difficult to properly blend your foundation resulting in a not so great look. So, a light layer of this on the t-zone once your moisturizer is completely absorbed. It does dry pretty fast, about 60-90 seconds. You can't see or feel the product on your face, and if applied after your moisturizer is absorbed you'll be able to blend your foundation as usual.

The reason to do this? Matte skin. While I wasn't perfectly matte during this heat, this product did definitely keep me matte for most of the day, and I was only slightly shiny at the end of the day. Considering the crazy heat and how shiny everyone else was, this product was a huge success!

Mac's Prep + Prime Skin Refined Zone

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