(Sometimes I feel so) Uninspired

(Sometimes I feel so) Uninspired was the title of a song by Traffic, a band fronted by Steve Winwood that was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  It also reflects how I'm feeling now about blogging.

The process of sitting down to blog is hard for me.  However, I've been very active on Twitter with beauty news.  Twitter is easy, blogging is hard.

I've also been going through a makeup-free period.  After DST, I've had a hard time waking up before dawn  and it's enough for me to throw on clothes and get out of the house to go to work.  Maybe some lip color and Paula's Choice Brow/Hair Tint to cover the gray hairs and groom the brows.  And that's about it.

However, that hasn't stopped me from buying cosmetics!  Recent purchases:

• Laura Mercier Eye Canvas - better than Eye Basics
• Beautyblender - extras for blending cream and liquid blushes (like BECCA Beach Tint)
• Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 15 with Dermaxyl Complex 1 oz - I ran out and needed more
• Boscia Rose Blotting Linens 100 ea
• Poppy King for J.Crew lipstick
• Boomstick trio from Boom! by Cindy Joseph

G-d willing, I'll get the motivation to sit down and write about them!

Treat it, don't conceal it

Temptalia, who might be the foremost beauty blogger in the blogosphere, asked, How do you conceal acne?

My answer: treat it, don't conceal it.  I think that concealer only draws attention to pimples - or else I'm not that skilled in applying concealer.

Paula Begoun's 2% Exfoliating BHA Lotion

When I got pimples, I used Paula Begoun's Exfoliating 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion and applied a thin layer of mild 5% or less benzoyl peroxide lotion (less expensive store brands are available) to treat the pimple.  I would apply hot water compresses (soak a washcloth in steaming hot water, let cool slightly, wring out the washcloth, and press) to bring the pimple to a head.  I don't recommend that others follow my example, but I have been known to pop the pimple once it comes to a head.

Today's makeup

What I'm wearing:

• Coral crinkled silk bracelet length jacket from Talbot's
• Ivory tank top
• Straw-colored linen blend trousers from Talbot's
• Bronze-metallic comfort sandals by NAOT

Paula's Choice Sheer Cream Lipstick SPF 15

My makeup:

• Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Linen
• Nuance Salma Hayek Length Extending Lash Serum
• L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara in black - thanks, Sam Fine, for this recommendation
• Nuance Salma Hayek Tinted Moisturizer in Light
• Paula's Choice Sheer Cream Lipstick SPF 15 - color discontinued

Today's makeup look - romantic #Beauty

On Thanksgiving, I was grateful for a day off. I had proven to myself and others that I can make Thanksgiving dinner, and since that Thanksgiving, I haven't felt the need to prove my abilities again. I would have been happy to cook something simple at home or eat out at an Indian restaurant, but my husband suggested that we go to the Thanksgiving buffet at a nearby hotel.

Sometimes I think that I'm one of the few people who still makes a production of going out. I chose a 3/4-length sleeve pullover sweater in cream (pure white is not my best shade) and a flippy skirt with a mesh floral print overlay. To adorn the outfit, I chose the Victorian-inspired Anna Sheffield for Target Filigree Charm Necklace that hangs from a delicate rose gold tone chain.

I then complemented my outfit with a romantic makeup look:

I first used Paula Begoun's Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate as a primer, which left a soft-focus finish. Once again, I used Daniel Chinchilla Flawless Finish Liquid Foundation. I pressed facial tissue on my face to remove excess makeup. I then pressed loose powder on my face with a cotton round to set the makeup, and buffed the powder with a face powder brush. I skipped blush, as I had plenty of color on my cheeks.

For my eyes, I used Pantina trio eye palette in Chichi Merlot, applying Veil (dusty mauve) on the lid, Spicy Currant in the crease and outer corner, and Black Currant cream eyeliner. Rite-Aid sometimes features tabletop displays of Pantina cosmetics.

You needn't use a mascara with a round spiky brush head such as Givenchy's Phenomen'Eyes and the copycat from L'Oreal Paris to coat every last lash. You can get the same effect by holding the wand at right angles to your eyes and applying mascara using the tip of the wand - just remove any gunk on the tip first.

I applied Color Comfort lipstick in Golden Berry from Sally Hansen Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy on my lips with a Q-Tip to create a stain. Carmindy's lipsticks have good color payoff and a smooth finish, as the name implies. To add a little shimmer to my pout, I applied a touch of loose gold mineral powder from the stack I bought from the mall kiosk for BellaPierre.

Advice that works

I recently bought the latest edition of Paula Begoun's Beauty Bible. Her advice to use matte foundation as a base for eyeshadow was terrific. I patted Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse Foundation on my eyelids before applying eyeshadow and my eyelids didn't get that oily appearance, as when I used cream eyeshadow base. Thanks, Paula.

I have dry cheeks and a nose that's prone to oiliness and pimples. While I use moisturizing makeup on my cheeks, I use the same Dream Matte Mousse Foundation on my nose. It's better than blotting tissues and pressed powder.

To remove eye makeup, I saturate or even soak cotton pads in eye makeup remover, lie back on the recliner (who says that recliners are for men only?), and place the pads over my eyelids to dissolve the eye makeup. No tugging and pulling - let the eye makeup remover do the work and gently wipe the makeup off afterward. I use Neutrogena's dual-phase eye remover.

Removing Eye Makeup: More Important than You Think!

Soon after I publshed a criticism on the fallacy of keeping mascara and eyeliner on overnight, Paula Begoun noted, "a basic remedy for puffy, irritated, crepey skin around the eyes was being sure to remove every last trace of eye makeup before you go to bed" and recommended using an eye makeup remover in addition to a water-soluble cleanser.


Artificial tears - a must in your makeup kit

On a related issue, I recently had some inflammation along the lower eyelid. I quit wearing eye makeup on the lower lid, applied artificial tears
(not eye drops formulated with steroids) and an eye ointment
, and began washing my hands more thoroughly. I use hand sanitizers like Purell
only sparingly, as I take seriously the fact that bacteria and microbes will mutate into more resistant strains in response to antiseptics.

Great drugstore finds

As the interview with Aunt Beep for ThisNext showed, I'm an inveterate roamer at CVS, particularly its cosmetics aisles, which not only have the usual mass-market brands, but also Lumene, a cosmetics brand from Finland exclusive to CVS and the French skin care brands Avene and LaRoche-Posay.

Here are some drugstore finds that I'd like to share with my readers:

Maybelline Dream Mousse Shadows in Rose Kiss and Black Spice from their limited edition Sugar and Spice collection for Valentine's Day (the collection even featured nail polish with heart-shaped sparkles!) . Rose Kiss is a beatiful shade for the lid, while Black Spice is great for the outer corner of the eye for the class smoky eye look. If only Maybelline would add these shades to its regular collection!

L'Oreal has now added liquid bronzer to its popular True Match™ collection of foundations, powders, concealers, and blushes designed to flatter a wide variety of skin tones. I am very fond of True Match™ liquid makeup in N3 - see my review at ThisNext, so I picked up the liquid bronzer in N1-2-3. This liquid bronzer may be blended with your foundation or be used alone.

UPDATE: The May 2007 of Lucky has a good tip: apply liquid bronzer before foundation to even skin tones. It worked for my skin, which has a tendency towards ruddiness

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear™ Talc-Free Mineral Eye Shadow Quad

Finally, Physicians Formula has released six different talc-free Mineral Eye Shadow Quads, all in beautiful shades. My complaint is about the packaging - you have to flip the compact over to use the mirror, so it's a clumsy way of applying the eyesahdow.

You can find Maybelline, L'Oreal, and Physicians Formula at major drugstores, mass-market retailers, supermarkets, and drugstore.com. Lumene is exclusive to CVS, and you can also find Avene and LaRoche-Posay at select CVS stores. Stores carrying Vital Radiance are now trying clear their inventory, so now is the time to snap up these products (which were good, although the line was badly marketed) at the right price - I was fond of Vital Radiance's Smoothing Eye Primer mousse, so I bought two at half-price. Paula's Choice may be purchased through the web site for Paula Begoun.

UPDATE: I have since found out that drugstore.com and Amazon.com carry a wide variety of Vital Radiance products.

Paula Begoun questions sources and methodology of cosmetics ingredient report

Paula

The Beauty > Consumer page of The Style Page provides links to product reviews, sites on cosmetics safety, and animal testing. This page links to the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep report, "a safety assessment of ingredients in personal care products." Paula Begoun questions the sources and methodology used by the EWG in her Beauty Bulletin in response to an inquiry about the safety of titanium dioxide, which is used as a white pigment in cosmetics and also as a sunscreen ingredient.

Paula notes,

"Much of what the EWG reported was confusing or hard to interpret as their sources either didn’t include the actual substance being evaluated or they used animal and inhalation studies ... Rats being fed or injected with substances doesn’t relate to how it is used (or what effect it might have) when mixed in a cosmetic and applied on the skin."