#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.

 

Too Much Goop-Super Goop Cream Eyeshadow Shimmers

They are very pretty in the package – when you smear it on your wrist the consistency is creamy and doesn’t feel like it has a lot of drag on your skin, so Super Goop’s eyeshadow shimmers with sunscreen seemed like a great product to try to protect the lids.

They come in three shimmer shades-when I tried them on in Sephora the darker shades are very pretty but I rarely wear colors that dark at this point.

Unless you’re going to go full guns with a dark smoky eye, wearing a bunch of color on your lids is very aging and looks too heavy in the summertime.

Unless you’re just one of those flamboyant types who wears it well,

or not.

Anyway.

The point is, I use a light hand when it comes to color.  When I bought it I didn’t really think about how much product I would put on that delivered color payoff AND SUN PROTECTION.

That’s the question-how much of the product do you have to apply to get the promised sun protection?

The guideline for face sunscreen is a dime.

The guideline for the body is as much as you can possibly tolerate starting with a quarter cup per body part.

So how much of Super Goop’s eye shimmer to get the benefit?

Turns out for me, there’s no way that I would get the benefit unless I put enough product on AND all over my eye.

That’s the other thing-if the product were a more neutral skin tone shade, then it could be used on the entire eye area from the lid to the brow bone. I tried that one day and well, it was just too much.

Would be great if I was doing a gold disco retro eye.

But not for everyday.

The conclusion? Pretty but not practical until they come out with neutral shades without readable shimmer and sparkle.

K

PS

The only products with SPF that I have found that don’t sting or irritate are Clinique’s City Block, Clinique Mineral Fluid and Origin’s A Perfect World.  Most sunscreens have too much fragrance or otherwise sting.

Having A Moment

You have probably noticed that cosmetic retailers are battling it out for a piece of the beauty dollar pie. Used to be Sephora had a sale twice a year and the rest of the time I’d wait to buy stuff when there was a good gwp.

Nowadays once one retailer posts a sale or promo coupon than Macy’s or Nordstrom posts a price match. They even compete with company stores!

If you want to replenish a basic like Clinique sunscreen- should you it buy for 25% off at the company store, or hunt around for a gwp with free shipping?

If you can’t tell by now I’m of the “wait until I get a deal” crowd.  Sephora reduced their samples per order to two and the pickings are slim. Even if you’re rouge, you get nothing extra for the privilege of the upgraded plastic card.  Just the status of being amongst the crowd of the big spenders.

Or at least perceived as such.

One day I was in line and the cashier said to the woman, “You have 20000 points…..”

I was a bit shocked.

Previous to that I thought I bought a lot – mostly skincare but still a lot.

This past holiday was different.  I bought gifts and stuff for me and then said- step away from the credit card .

Nevertheless I bought MORE.

When it was all said and done I was in a drunken stupor of a makeup buying frenzy.

After recovery, I seriously had moments when walking into the cosmetic dept of any store and my eyes would glaze and I would get a buzzing in my ears.

Too soon.

I wasn’t safe from myself.

Only a few days ago when a pot called the kettle black, on the same day I dumped two eye palettes I stopped using, did I go shopping for makeup.

It was nice.

I felt calm.

I responded to salespeople, “I feel like buying today.”

I’m the type that in a nice store, I veer away from the manolo blaniks to stay in Stuart Weitzman Ville.

There’s just a price point where I refuse like a stubborn horse and avert my eyes.

Maybe I was just reacting to the pot, but I walked up to the Dior counter and bought a limited edition shadow palette.

I told myself it was to replace one of the two palettes I dumped.

The truth is-I was buying it to feel better.

Some people can face truth about themselves, and well, others just can’t, so the best thing to do is just let them look in the mirror and hope someday they will face themselves.

Now, what am I going to do with my Nordstrom  note?

Save it for something I really need instead of something I just want to feel better.

k

 

 

 

 

 

Creamiest of the creamy-By Terry Eye Shadow Stick

When I watch videos about using long-wear eye shadow sticks-youtubers drawing on big smudgy blobs of color to blend out to big smokey eyes, or drawn on to precise sharp wings…

I think, I can do that.

I don’t use a lot of quotation marks here.

As always, I answer the siren call of obsession with a product when I become convinced I NEED IT NOW!

Such is the case in my collection of Bobbi Brown eye shadow cream pots and sticks.

Ditto with my Laura Mercier eye shadow sticks.

Love them both on you tubers, but they feel like dragging a rubber eraser along my eyelid.

In the ripe age of approaching the next decade mark, I’m thinking a lot about the texture of products I put on my eyes.

I recently consulted with the Nords Fresh counter manager and he suggested it might be that my eye shadow was drying out my lids.

Hmmm.

I have quite a collection of powder eye shadow palettes.

It makes sense that if you put powder on to keep dry in the summer, than powder would dry out your skin on your eyelids. Duh.

He suggested one of my fave brands-Nars eye shadow stick in Goddess, a peachy, rose gold color which can be worn alone or as a primer.

I received it a few weeks later in the mail.

Excited to use it-I compared it to my Laura shadows. Somewhat softer, but still felt a little draggy.

My heart is always searching.

So I wandered into Saks and I’ve always loved the By Terry hand cream….

Wanting to buy and needing nothing….scary.

The salesgirl was actually from the La Mer counter but she spoke highly of By Terry products.

I took out the eye shadow stick and glided it on my hand and I couldn’t believe how creamy and soft it was….sigh. But, I just bought the Nars version and thought the color was really close.

Never mind.

Bought it anyway and came home and compared colors-not the same.

However, the By Terry shadow stick is waaaaaaay softer.

Kirsten’s glide rating of shadow sticks:

Bobbi Brown-like dragging a rubber eraser across your eyelids.

Laura Mercies-Like dragging a softer eraser, but somehow feels abrasive-like the glitter particles are scratching my eye.

Nars-Better slide, but I can’t help but wonder if the product was old and maybe dried out?

By Terry-soft like sliding whipped cream on your eyelid.

Price wise, the By Terry product is the most expensive, but it’s cheaper than plastic surgery.

The other lesson learned? Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much of sale another line might offer, the product will drive the purchase when the benefit outweighs price rationalization.

K

 

Lashgasmic-Search for Non-Clumpy Mascara

I have a dog but he is kind of borrowed,

I have no kids, though there are a few in my life.

I’m older so I’m not taking classes at college, and I don’t have time to take craft or cooking classes (tho that might be fun).

So, I spend my time and money pursuing a couple of things I really enjoy. Taking dance class and playing with make up and skincare.

Last week I spent 8 hours watching videos on youtube according to my fading battery report.  If you were able to slice up those 8 hours, I’d say I spent at least 3/4s watching some related video about skincare, make up, some vlogger’s sephora haul, or a few hair videos (check out provocativewoman channel-all long hair, cut and color).

Even Google is tracking your video hours-I recently saw a report that of the time spent on youtube a great big chunk of users were watching…make up videos….and what do they do with the info…..shop online.

It’s VIB and VIB Rouge shopping season-which for those of you unannointed means 20% off everything in and on sephora.com. For Rouge level, Sephora started the sale early, stopped a few days to let buyers catch their breath, then started up VIB level which included Rouge level too.

I have to admit at this point after shopping both levels (for gifts for other people-I swear!) I’m a smidge fatigued.

Having said that, yesterday I was with my buddies and I asked them what I bought.  I buy make up and skincare like one friend buys diamonds and jewelry. (I guess if I didn’t buy so much make up I could buy diamonds). Oh well.

The discussion kind of stirred up the frenzy again..but thankfully only for a little while and the desire dissipated. I did check the sephora app for the weekly wow and inbox but no takers.

Anyway.

Because I’ve found my dream creams at least for now (Shiseido Future Solutions Eye and Contour cream, Clinique SPF 30 Sunscreen and Clinique tinted City Block SPF, La Mer Moisturizer or Shiseido Waso) I’ve moved on to mascara.

Now I’ve never really had a mascara fetish. As long as it stayed on in a sweaty dance class, could take a touch up application, washed off easily and didn’t clump, I was pretty happy. I used Great Lash for years, non-waterproof and life was good.

But I, like everyone get so many mascara samples that may as well try them, right?

Side note(s):  my test for washability is to remove it with micellar water.

Side note(s): Brands please make packaging less similar.  I’ve been at counters where the salespeople had a hard time identifying the right formulas.

Here’s my thoughts in no certain order:

Estee Lauder Sumptous-smears under my eyes and definitely clumpy.

Estee Lauder Sumptous Bold Volume-I think this is the sample I got, which I would try again.  It doesn’t smear like its sister.

Too Faced Better Than Sex-pretty awesome. Long, fat lashes, washes off with micellar water and combs through pretty well if it does get clumpy.

Benefit They’re Real-impressive lengthening, though won’t take a touch up at all. I guess whatever makes the formula curly, also makes it stiff. It does lengthen enough that I can feel my lashes on my glasses.

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes, Great Lash and other drugstore-I haven’t found anything I like for a long time, I’ll buy it to try it but take it back.

MAC-I used to love False Lashes but the people at the counter at the mall nearest to where I live are pretty horrific so I rarely buy anything MAC.

Clinique

-Chubby Lash-I liked this so much I bought for friends. But then it started clumping.

-High Impact-no impact

-Lash Doubling-good price

-High Lengths-I liked this at first because of the brush but I think the formula is too liquidy so it clumped.

Laura Mercier-Long Lash-clumpy.

Blinc-my friend recommended this brand. It has a specific way to put it on, takes no touch ups, lengthens and doesn’t clump, and washes off with water. Like it but wouldn’t buy it again.

Burberry ?-beautiful packaging. Super clumpy.

Guerlain ? I got this as a sample but the purchased tube was horribly clumpy.

Shiseido-Full Lash Multi-Dimension Waterproof-just used this yesterday. I loved loved the lack of clumping but getting it off was a struggle.  I don’t really use make up remover unless I get samples-so that’s where that lost points for me.

Bobbi Brown-a few varieties over the year but nothing I’d buy again.

Tarte-Lights, Camera, Lashes-tried the sample and tossed it for abundance of meh.

Mary Kay Lash Love-great brush, but doesn’t take a touch up. Kind of crinkly.

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir-nothing in particular to say.

Lancome Definicils-I guess if non-clumpy was the only thing I wanted this is fine. It lengthen but lashes don’t get fat.

Smashbox Full Exposure-meh. Just meh.

Makeup for Ever-Smoky Extravagant-I think I liked this but clumped after awhile.

Some I’d like to try:

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl

Wander Beauty-I have it, but haven’t tried it yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Siren Song aka I Need More Make up Like a Hole in My Head

My name is Kirsten.

I am a skincareandmakeupaholic.

Less than 2 months ago, a friend and I were getting caught up in the fervor of Black Friday, and pre Black Friday, and Purple Thursday, and Pink Saturday and Hangover Monday. My email promotion inbox was going crazy with special offers and super sales for more more more!

I was giddy!

Not only did I buy for myself, I bought for my clients and my friends, saying, with my eyes bulging out of my head like a crazy person, “I can save this for their birthday…..next year”.

LOL

And as Christmas grew closer, I said with steely resolve, “Stop the madness!”

And then yet, another unpassable deal came in my inbox.

I was among the group of shoppers who did not set foot in a mall, except to purchase two of the same shirt for someones on my list.

Even then, they both did not fit.

Anyway.

I am trying really hard to think of what the last deal was that I bought that I just couldn’t not have.  I think it must have been some sephora deal because I have 2 tubes of City Defense and 2 bottles of sunscreen and I am not a hoarder.

And what do I have to show for it?

Nothing that I can easily recall.

A pity story.

A sad story.

Perhaps a state of madness.

And yet, I found myself a week ago watching “reveals” on youtube for the Too Faced Cosmetics mystery bag and feeling non-buyers’ remorse for not jumping at it with my credit card memorized in my head, poised for the next deal.

I feel like I am in my withdrawal state.

Actually looking for something.

I’m even stocked up on hair care. I bought a round blow dry brush.

When I wander the store post holiday-I actually take a mental inventory of everything I have searching for something that I might need.

I read recently that Toys R Us had to temper their online sales promos with their in store promos. The year before, they had such monstrous online shopping that they had to take inventory from their brick stores.

Is this perhaps what happened to sephora? The first days after the holiday, my inbox was void of sephora deals.  Only in the last few days have they started up.

But then, brands like Kiehls and Fresh must have been holiday wanna bees cuz right up to and a little while after, they were still letting me know that there were products to be bought and samples to have.

Even gwpaddict.com wrote last week that there were lots of coupons but no big gwps yet.

Wanting for nothing and yet still searching.

That’s gotta be so wrong.

k

 

 

 

 

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…..

 

Open My Eyes-Sunscreen That Doesn’t Sting

I love Bloomingdales store in Ala Moana Shopping Center. It’s not crowded to the chagrin of their managers, but hey, I prefer not wrestling or queing just to buy something.

I’ve been on a sunscreen mission for the last few months because my beloved Clarin’s UV Plus SPF 40 has started stinging my eyelids.

Yes, I know, we are supposed to purchase a separate sunscreen for eyelids, neck and lips because the skin is different than that of your face and body.

Whatever.

I think a sunscreen should be gentle enough to put on everywhere and be done with it. It’s bad enough that there’s a toner, a serum, a moisturizer, an eye cream and a sunscreen to go over it all before you start with a facial primer and eye shadow primer. Then on to the make up.

Seriously, I’m busy enough with that stuff let alone slicing and dicing it up into one more product!

Anyway.

I tried a couple of Clinique products-and now that I am googling to figure out the name of the products, I see a new Clinique SPF30 Mineral Sunscreen ($26) on the company online store. Will have to check it out next.

Clinique’s Super City Block Broad Spectrum SPF 40 has a slight tint to it.  I tried this product years ago when the formula was white and my theory is they added tint to disguise the white cast it would leave on your face. Think zinc, but not as bad. I was telling my fellow make up maven friend that I had nothing on, and she countered with, while she rubbed some on her hand saying-oh wow, look my hand looks amazing! Meaning, from her point of view, this product provides all kinds of coverage.]

No matter, I also tried Coola’s Organic Cucumber Matte Finish Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 and the same in unscented matte tint. Bllomingdale’s spa area only offers a few variations, and when I checked it out online-the full line is pretty extensive in scent, SPF, moisturizers, primers and BB creams.

I could not figure out from reading the package, how Coola’s product protects-but from what I gathered it was from a combination of rosehip vitamin C and anti oxidant oils.

?

Bloomies also has a small section that has Korean skincare and make up brands: Sulwahsoo, Iope and Laniege. I’ve had samples from the other 2 brands, but Iope was the only one that had an interesting sunscreen. (Sulwahsoo products smell like ginseng and Laniege only had a stick sunscreen).

Interestingly enough, at first glance, Iope does not appear to have a company store online when I typed in Iope sunscreen-from my point of view the most logical google search keyword string.

If you type in Iope skincare -the company store comes up, though it’s in Korean. If you try to translate, the categories and product names translate, but there is no text.

It’s a little discombobulating to not have the info.

However, UV Shield Sun Protector, SPF 50+ is lightweight, doesn’t sting my eyes, does not leave a white residue and is not sticky or plastic feeling.

I guess I just have to depend on the product knowledge of the salesperson-but I like it anyway.

k

 

 

 

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