#jonesroadbeauty a Phoenix or a Dodo?

Been slacking off on writing about the stuff I try and leaving it up to the video creators on YouTube and TIkTok.

Sooo many comments about the amount of old people using TIkTok.

As a marketing person, I figure it’s TikTok’s way of being inclusive, aka we are showing you other old people to encourage you to engage.

When I’m on the app I see mostly people 50+, 50+ old guys saying this is my age, this where I live…..or 50+ women telling me about the menopause. I’m guessing young people are still on the app, I just haven’t liked the right, or followed the right creators to lead me to that statistical gold mine of data.

Then the ads.

The ads I see tend to be universal products. Even though the talent or influencer market-picked type is young, anyone can use the product like mascara or FAB face and body cream.

I must have watched the women who is 50+ with nice skin aka nice lighting that talks about product and make up tips too many times, because #jonesroadbeauty appeared in my newsfeed.

I watch a selection of people on YouTube, so I had not heard about @bobbibrowncosmetics phoenix product line, jones road.

The tiktoks (and YouTube videos) are pretty lame and lack the money invested in production as Bobbi’s slick vids for her namesake line. There is a way to keep production costs down, look great and sell product, but unless you are a diehard fan, you might pass out trying out the line if you never heard of the brand if you based it on her tiktoks.

I was a diehard Bobbi Brown cosmetics fan. In fact, hers was the first make up book I ever bought, and I was considered one of my salesperson’s best customers at NM. The Bobbi counter move from the right hand side, albeit a front front door position to the featured position in front of the ladies who lunch escalator where everyone lunching could see everyone buying make up from high up among the butterflies.

I digress.

When I saw the video, I excitedly looked for more videos-unfortunately they were pretty lackluster so I went to YouTube and the jonesroadbeauty website. Very few YouTube video reviews, and comments were pretty lukewarm. It’s surprising because the product line is nearly identical to Bobbi Brown cosmetics–the colors are the same, the textures are similar and Bobbi looks great (must be her skincare).

I’ve been searching for the perfect gray beige brown eyeshadow for a year and #natashadenona mini gray pallet and assorted others did not fit the bill.

But jones road’s selection does—the starter pack includes the miracle balm, blush, eye shadow, lip gloss and eye pencil. Plus I purchased one more eye shadow in a lighter variation of gray beige. (I checked today and this particular kit is not on their website).

The eye shadow is perfection. Soft texture and stay all day color. I applied it with and without a primer (more on Trish McEvoy’s eye brightener from Nords).

The eye liner is hard and stiff-but it makes drawing a line easy after using very soft pencils that don’t tug. Net neutral on that-not a break out color so I wouldn’t buy it as a stand alone.

The lip gloss is nothing to write home about. Could be anyone’s product.

The blush pigment is pretty good–the pale pink lookalike delivers a soft pop of color–I guess if you wanted to do Bobbi’s signature look, I would start with a light layer then dot a second layer on the cheek apple.

And then the miracle balm.

It’s a giant amount of product that you dab on like highlighter (mostly) though it is a multi-use product. When I saw the size, I’m like, why is there so much product? Can you rub it on like a body balm moisturizer?

I was excited to try it out and dabbed a little on my cheek. Almost immediately I noticed the not citrusy tart smell, but SOUR smell. Underneath I could smell a minty base–much like Bobbi’s extra product line.

It’s my karen-like issue that I won’t take the time to return products to one of 4 inconvenient UPS locations on Oahu, or buy an envelope to return rejects so I wrote jones road in hopes they would send fresh product.

The response was “it’s you, not us”, and that I can’t tell when product is spoiled v rancid.

I’d buy more eye shadow, but moist products like the balm, concealer etc that’s probably been sitting in their warehouse since Sep 2020 launch, is a so long jones road.

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What Does A 40-Year-old Man Know About Mature Meno Skin?

Aka help for dry skin that comes along with menopause.

The other day I was cruising youtube and Sephora’s Beauty Director vid pops up- the topic being “Mature Skin Tips”.

The vid is hosted by David, one of the three or four featured make up artists.  He often teams up with another make up artist Jeffrey, but rarely with Myesha for some reason.

Well, I think I know the reason, while Jeffrey is a much better make up artist, David is just plain pushy and boorish when paired up with him. Every time Jeffrey tries to make a point or talk about a new palette, David boorishly overpowers the conversation. It’s very off-putting to the point that if there’s a vid with both of them I skip it.

Anyway.

He starts talking about his own “mature skin” at age 40–

Seriously? Since when is 40 “mature”? Hasn’t he heard 70 is the new 35?

I get that at the end of the day Sephora and David are pushing products they want to promote, so whatever they recommend may be from personal experience of testing the product but are their recommendations honestly relevant when he’s talking about mature skin as a 40 year old MAN?

He could instead describe his video as for “maturing skin for men” and that would be more accurate.

I think Sephora tried with a video made last year of one of their older make up salespeople-an attractive white haired woman with nice skin who had her make up applied by Jeffrey.

But there’s no Beauty Director who is in his or her 50+, 60+s, who could offer real tips for the desert dry skin that comes along with menopause.

Ugh.

Or is it a celebration?

Whichever side you take here’s my formula after buying and trying pretty much every thick moisturizing for aging skin cream.

Cleanse-micellar water.  I’ve used Bioderma and Garnier and to save a couple of dollars, buy the Garnier regular formula.  The waterproof formula has something harsh in it and stings the eyes and it doesn’t clean water-resistant mascara very well anyway, so go for gentler with the regular formula.

Masks-skip anything for exfoliation or with clay.  This will only make your skin drier.  I like Farmacy Honey Night Mask but if you’re not planning on washing your hair, it will seep into your hairline never mind a mess on your pillow. Go for Fresh Rose or Lotus masks. Tried Laniege and Fresh Black Tea-meh.

Eye Cream-I was using Shiseido Benifiance, but I really found that Shisiedo Future Solutions for Eye and Lip Contour is pricey but lasts a long time and worth the $150.

USE IT WITH

Fresh Black Tea Eye Serum-I am in my second bottle and tried pairing it with the Black Tea Eye Cream but the Shiseido Future Solutions cream works much better.  I have seen the crepe-texture on my lids reduced and my lids appear less droopy.

Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Essence-leaps and bounds better than SKII. There’s something about the slightly tacky liquid that moisturizes and relieves dryness.

Oil-I don’t always use an oil. But I like it for heavy-duty nights. If I do, I might put on some Herbivore Hibiscus Oil or the Ordinary Rose Oil.

Day Cream-I’m liking the Fresh Vitamin C Nectar. Smells like tangerines, light formula. Though on a day after a day of being in the sun, I slather on Rosa Artica-heavy formula. Like vaseline.

Night Cream-I use pretty much the same approach. I’ve tried some sleeping masks and sometimes I use them, but my day procedure works pretty well.

Sunscreen-Clinique SPF40 Mineral Fluid. Light, doesn’t sting the eyes.

Tinted Moisturizer-Clinique SPF40(?) City Defense.

Heavy Duty-Drunk Elephant. White and thick but disappears with a lot of rubbing in.

Light Day Duty Sunscreen-I like Olay Day Moisturizer SPF15. I put it on my neck, decollette (sp) arms and legs.

Case Studies

Golf-Today I will be out in the sun with hat and sunglasses and hopefully mostly under cover of the golf cart since I am not golfing just taking photos.

My plan-my base skincare with Fresh eye serum, Black Tea Essence, Shiseido Future Solutions Eye, Kiehl’s Day Serum, Vitamin C Nectar Cream, maybe an extra layer of Rosa Artica on my face and neck.  Followed with Clinique Mineral SPF, Origin’s Eye Cream with SPF30. Another layer of Clinique City Defense Sunscreen, then makeup.

During-carry around Clinique City Defense for touch ups every two hours or so.

Night-take it all off with Garnier micellar water. Cleanse with Cerave Hydrating Cleanser in the shower to take off the rest of the make up.  Basic skincare Fresh eye serum, Kombucha essence, probably the Ordinary Rose Oil and Kiehl’s Rosa Artica over it all. Maybe a touch of Clinique Dramatically Different to seal it all in.

*****

Oh yeah-my last recommendation to David?  Stop using the beta-acid peels he’s always blabbing about.  I think it’s Dr Dennis Gross.  Stripping your skin of natural oils to get that clean feeling is just stripping your skin of it’s natural protection from the elements. It also lays bare a fresh layer of your skin to burn even more under the sun.

Duh.

 

Little Joys-aka Items You Buy To Make the GWP Threshold

Or when you live in Hawaii, the extra item(s) that you buy when you need to buy something more to make the free shipping threshold.

Sometimes I’ll go ahead and buy more than one of the same product at the same time, but it’s a rarity when I like something that much, or plan to give it to a friend because I highly endorse the product.

It’s like when I’m in Nords and I see the Clinique rep and she points out the Early Access giant Dramatically Different Cream that comes with another regular sized cream of the same.

It’s a siren call.

I have to stand there and take a mental inventory of my beauty supply products cabinet(s). Yes, I said cabinet(s)-which actually is three shelves in the medicine cabinet, the top portion of the vanity, one full drawer of the vanity, underneath bf’s vanity (but only a small area for larger items like shampoo and travel stuff) and finally the catch all closet in the hallway for stuff like body wash.

As it turns out, after that mental gyration, I don’t need another of the same cream – though I really do like the cream version of Dramatically Different.  I use the lotion formula samples all the time, and use the cream version over my serum and under my sunscreen. I just use a small 2-pea sized dab smoothed between two fingers and pressed on-the moisture lasts the entire day.

So, anyway.

One of the products that I bought to make the threshold is Benefits’ Dandelion box o powder blush travel sized mini for $15 bucks.

When I received it-I took one look and thought-hmm rip off, hardly any product and doesn’t look saturated.  I watched a net video of how to use the product and promptly didn’t try it for a couple of weeks.

Time makes for a desirous heart.

On a day I was planning to stay home and work, I still put some sort of a “face” on, so I took out the Benefit product. The little flat sweeping brush that comes with is rough and cheapy but it fits in the box and does a good job of getting the product on. Smooth it out with a real brush tho so you don’t look like you have two pink racing stripes on. 

I like to use the product on the very tops of my cheek ‘bones”. The light peachy pink with no shimmer gives me a little boost of color that I like and when blended out a bit looks a little fake healthy-but better than without.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but the retailer always wins with the threshold game.

k

PS

I hate Clinique’s pricing structure–their PepStart Eye is $26.50 and their GWP threshold is $27, so unless you want yet another sharpener…..

 

Light in a Palette-Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

I’ve stayed away from using powder formulas on my face for years, but now that my face is settling in and not needing as much moisture, I’m taking a second look at powder.

I never really checked out Hourglass in Sephora or department stores. But at Nords, a make up artist that used to be with Laura is now repping Hourglass. I’ve always liked her because she demonstrates the product but does not over push me into buying something that doesn’t work. Just the right touch as a salesperson.

Hourglass has a trio of their Ambient Lighting powders in a palette for sale in department stores and at Sephora. When I checked it out online at their company website, I found that you can mix and match and make your own palette for $8 more. 

That’s pretty cool. Because the powders are made to reproduce different lighting situations.

For example, if you’d like to go around like you’re candlelit, you can choose the shade, “Dim light”.

If you’re sitting in the office under fluorescents there’s a shade for that, as well as highlighting shades too.

DIFFUSED LIGHT: A soft, warm, pale yellow powder that conceals redness and gives skin clarity—like a soft ray of morning light.
• DIM LIGHT: A neutral peach beige powder that blurs imperfections and highlights a radiant complexion with the perfect balance of warm and cool tones.
• ETHEREAL LIGHT: An opalescent sheer, cool white powder that mimics a moonlit glow—even in broad daylight.
• LUMINOUS LIGHT: A champagne pearl powder that creates a soft, incandescent candlelit glow—day or night.
• MOOD LIGHT: A soft, sheer lavender pink powder that mimics the softest, most forgiving light and brightens the complexion.
• RADIANT LIGHT: A sun-kissed golden beige that enhances overall complexion with believable, subtle warmth, and also extends a summer glow.

The come on is that these powders correct so you can put your best face forward with a flick of your fluffy brush.

And the best thing is, they work! After I apply sunscreen and maybe a pea size tinted moisturize for light coverage, I brush the powder(s) on and I immediately like the affect.

A high recommend, and with the mix and match palette found online even better.

k

Charlotte’s Web-Charlotte Tilbury Comes to Honolulu

I’ve been intrigued by the Charlotte Tilbury brand having read about the products in mags and getting an occasional sample from mainland beauty buy bags.

Sidebar-when a salesperson treats giving you a sample like the sample is very special and limited like Revive, it feels more special. And maybe just maybe I’ll actually do the little pin prick thing in the corner and use it a drop at a time.

Hah. Who am I kidding?

Generally speaking I use the most of the packet on the first try, I figure I’ll give it a good try the first round.  If it doesn’t pass muster I put it on my feet.

Anyway.

Nords opened with much fanfare near Bloomies. The make up area is more like Sephora with alleyways by product lines and a strip of stations in the center with weekly make up artist picks. Overall it’s pretty cool.

Walking around the first day, I spied the Charlotte Tilbury counter-I was immediately drawn to the palettes since I just dumped 3-4 shadow palettes I was bored with or I decided were too old (6 months) to use anymore without risking infection.

Er-or that’s just an excuse. I know people keep powder shadow for years.

Makeup artists trying color product on the backs of their hands is a pretty useless exercise. Unless the person is your sib with the same coloring-what’s the point?

Texture is kind of hard to convey as well. But I told the artist my pet peeve is powders with a lot of fall out.

I’m in the habit of doing my face before eyes, so going back for a do over to take off stray powder is not going to happen.  If it’s a big make up day, I put my eyes on first then foundation.

Otherwise, I don’t have the time.

The Luxury Palette, Sophisticate is pretty neutral and not much different than what Bobbi Brown or Laura Mercier offer.  The colors; prime, enhance, smoke and pop are numbered-which for me, is the way I would put them on; base, eye socket, corner and I haven’t figured out what do with pop since it’s a brown with not a lot of personality. It will probably just be one of those leftover colors.

I’m the kind of shopper that does not buy on impluse. Rather I like to think about it and really I don’t read reviews very often.  I went back a few weeks later after yearning for the palette overcame me and ended up buying a lipstick, gloss and a eye shadow pencil on presale thinking or was impressed upon that the beauty event was going to be something special with a crappy bag filled with deluxe samples.

Instead, I was very disappointed in Nords. I am disappointed with Nords beauty bags. Unless you buy online, the Hawaii store only gives you a crappy make up bag. I guess I look disappointed because the salespeople usually throw in a couple of samples but it’s pretty pathetic.

Anyway.

Post facto I checked out the reviews on her products–I have to agree that the eye shadow stick is pretty meh.  I’ve used it as accent which is ok, but as a primer base it slides off my lids making all of the shadow fade prematurely.

The Sophisticate Luxury palette shadows are highly pigmented and go on smoothly with the right brushes, but I have to say they fade over the course of the day and I do not have greasy lids so it’s the product.

The lipstick is probably the best of the lot.  The Stoned Rose color is a coral brown and has good staying power.  The gloss is pretty but I don’t wear gloss much so….

Checking out how to use the palette online-CT’s own vids are pretty meh. The vids that bloggers post are much better using the colors as base and accent interchangeably.

Would I buy CT again? Probably not.

Check this out–really? Who wants lashes like this? Looks like a mascara nightmare.https://youtu.be/Rsc1qYcNnuo

K

PEP PEP PEP…errrr Clinique Pep Start Eye

Just like the jingle-I’m lovin it!

But I wasn’t loving the fact that the Estee Lauder Advanced Time Zone eye cream I was using suddenly changed their formula without warning.  Either that or the stock at Macy’s Windward was so old that the eye cream muushed into something thinner than the Crisco like thickness I love in my moisturizer and eye cream.

So, off I go in search of a new eye cream that has the magical stick to it ness of Crisco.

Crisco?

Well, if you’re a younger person you probably have no idea what the thick, white, magical crisp making chicken aka shortening of which I speak.

Just picture something THICK-maybe p butter is a better example.

Anyway.

I had seen Clinique’s new Pep Start eye cream somewhere in a magazine maybe Allure-and thought I’d check it out at the Clinique counter.

Cliinique counter no more!  
What?

The new product is sold only at Sephora or clinique.com!

Ok-that’s cool cuz I have a sephora gift card anyway. So the next time I was at the mall I checked it out.

The packaging is a bright vitamin C orange tube, with a sphere shaped tip where the product comes out. I figure this is so, if you want, you can squeeze some up and apply the product right from the tube.

Ok in theory, but one could potentially contaminate the product in the tube with whatever cream, serum or whatever you previously applied to your skin.

So, I apply with fingertips-squirt a little of the thick product on the tips, rub to warm and pat all around the eyes.

I so totally ignore the make up counter directions to pat only on the orbital (eye socket) bones.

I have to tell you that this product delivers the claim that is directly addresses puffiness.

In the morning, I’ve dabbed on moisturizer first thing for years. But have noticed that my eyes are a little puffier.

So, first thing in the am I have added Pep Smart to my regimen.

By the time I am off, my puffs look pretty good.

Plus, I like the way the cream moisturizes for most of the day.

It wears well under concealer too.

Thing is, I spoke to the Clinique area rep and asked her why they don’t sell it at other retailers. Her explanation was that sometimes Clinique is testing a product and limits distribution, and later if the product proves popular, distributes everywhere.

Another explanation from a clinique counter was, Sephora sometimes negotiates for product exclusivity so…

Anyway-a high recommend. Only $27 bucks. Worth it.

K

 

 

Heading Down the Yellow Brick Road-Battle of the GWPS

Seriously, my eyes and fingers always answer the siren call of the GWP.  My favorite go to blog is GWP Addict-a daily update of all things GWP, written by Lisa of Arizona.

Over the years I have found some tried and true products that I like so much that I will always buy them for my basics and it takes a lot to turn my head to pull me away from my beloveds-Clarins’ SPF sunscreen, Kiehl’s Rosa Artica Moisturizer and Kitoko and Neuma hair products.

So, when I see it’s time to stock up on my basics, I go to gwpaddict.wordpress.com to see if there are gwp offers for whatever I have in mind.

I recently started using Estee Lauder’s Advanced Time Zone Age Reverse eye cream (which I haven’t written about yet!), which has the consistency similar to rosa artica moisturizer-a heavy (shortening like-yes like the baking stuff) cream that I rub a very small 1/2 pea sized or less amount on my finger tips and apply in the inner corners of my eyes.  It retails for $58 a jar.

I know that Macy’s is supposed to have an Estee Lauder event soon, early in September, so I’ve been waiting around-but I thought I’d check Lisa’s blog for any specials. So lo and behold Macy’s is having a Tuesday Flash Sale!* As you guys know, beauty products rarely go on “sale” unless they are about to expire or be discontinued so I snapped up the eye cream and a Laura Mercier Bronzer that someone put on me at NMs but I didn’t feel like buying at the time. The Estee product had a mini-gwp of advanced time zone eye serum(meh) and mascara(rarely buy mascara because companies always give samples. yay!).

So was feeling pretty happy about that.

However this morning, Sephora sent their daily blah blah of whatever is new, and I, heeding the call, open it and check out the new beauty lines, and failing to be sold, go to the Fresh products page, which eventually leads me off sephora.com to gwp addict in search of whatever.

I had seen the Nords $125 gwp gift bag with a bunch of samples, but I did not know there is also a gift bag for a $50 threshold. When you compare the two, I’d rather pay the $50, cuz from my point of view the $50 had better samples and less perfume which I don’t wear.

$50

 $125

I already knew I needed to restock my Clarins’ sunscreen-I had tried the Murad Invisible Blur which is great, but no great gwp so I bought the Clarins,plus Nords is offering a two-fer sale of $62, a savings of $22. But as I am checking out, I think to look at the Estee offer.

A much much better gwp than Macy’s for a $45 gwp threshold, plus spend $5 bucks more and you get the $50 gwp bag!

I know so what, but I work from home so little things are exciting.

The clincher for me is that Nords ALWAYS has free shipping to Hawaii which is a huge perk. It’s pretty much why I do not shop the Fresh or Clarins’ company online stores because shipping is outrageous to Hawaii. I mean it’s like they are sending the products to Russia.  (I recently got ballet slippers from Grishko Russia, and unbelievably, shipping was free!).

Anyway.

It pays to be a shopper, and a free shipper.

k

*These offers will expire and may not be available when you read this post.

Those Little Samples Are For Sale-Sephora

Have you noticed lately that Sephora is selling the same deluxe samples that used to come with gwps?

I get that everybody needs to make dinero-but part of the fun was to get samples!

I’m not really into getting a sample of product that has had a bunch of germy fingers dipped in because some people don’t obey cosmetic etiquette. You know what I mean.

Those people who dip their fingers into jars, across eye shadow and actually apply lip color from the tube!

Seriously could anything be more gross?

They’ve done studies on how many of the super ick germs find their way into make up displays.

You know I used to be a ready participant in getting a free makeover at the counter-but the more germaphobic I get the less interested I am. I might put on a color on my wrist and wipe off with alcohol at the most nowadays.

Anyway.

Sephora used to go pretty good samples for VIB ladies and they were usable. But don’tcha hate the samples that are just a whisper of product? Like Skinceuticals Eye SPF. I know eye product is applied the size of a pea, but when I get a sample like that, I have to really be jonsing to try it to use the manini sample.

I’ve been buying product from Neostrata and Lovelyskin.com the last few times for skincare. I think Neostrata is really generous with the size and the amount of the samples, but so far nothing to write home about. Lovelyskiin sent me the Skinceuticals sample which is not their fault, but they don’t really have great samples to select from at checkout.

Lovelyskin.com does have a cool comparison table that you can see how different products stand against each other. I used it to choose an eye product last month.

So Sephora take a note-I’m giving you the bulk of my beauty dollars in the quest for the 500 point perks (really I paid $500 for those mini’s of Laura Mercier)?, so how’s about show your customers some love with better samples?

K

 

Lube Me Yu-Be-Japan’s Soft Skin Secret

I am always on the hunt for the next big facial moisturizer.

Duh.

I had done a good amount of holiday shopping online at Sephora-and you know the drill, you’re always looking for something for the last little bit to reach free shipping nirvana.

I had seen Yu-Be moisturizer at Sephora before, but had decided against trying.

But seriously, the law of supply and demand, supply being Sephora was sold out of the stuff,

made me want it.

Not want it more.

Just want it.

Anyway.

Yu-Be was invented by a Japanese pharmacist in 1957 and it has glycerin, vitamin B2, E and sodium hyaluronate- a humectant which says “moisture come to me”.

It smells like camphor – also known as Vicks vapo-rub-the stuff your mom rubbed on your chest when you are little and congested.

The consistency is like neosporin-but not oily at all. Just sort of ointment-like.

A famous Japanese mountain-climber is the brand’s poster girl-having used it during her mountain climbing expeditions saying that she overcame extreme temperatures and winds using the product.

Me-I take half a pea and spread it around my crow’s feet area and around the sides of my mouth for an extra boost of lubricant and moisture.

Because at the end of the day, dryness causes wrinkles.

k

Yesterday Once More – Neostrata Lotion Plus

Like I said, I wonder why I do this to myself. Meaning, why do I stray from something that works?

The answer is mostly boredom.

I used this magical lotion for years and years ago when it cost only $17 per bottle.  

Nowadays it goes for $42!!  $45 on the official neostrata site.

But it wasn’t so long ago that I think that price is really super duper high!

But seriously, it works.

Works like magic.

Practically with the first application.

Neostrata Lotion Plus is AHA Glycolic – 15%!  It is for experienced uses, there are step downs, and is used to “resurface” the skin by exfoliating.

For me-as much as I like my Honey and Sugar scrub, this is pretty fast and I can do it everyday without waiting for the housekeeper to come so I can make a mess in the shower.

Anyway.

Makes my skin feel silky-and moisturized tho there are other formulas that exfoliate and are moisturizing.

Dry no more!

k