#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’s Up With That?Sephora Pricing Same Product, Same Size at a Premium

I pride myself on shopping around for the best deal-when all things are the same, same product, same size-I still look for the extra whatever to sweeten the deal.

The other day, I shopped online while my friend was driving and talking on speaker phone as we researched the best deal for a certain eye cream and moisturizer which was on her shopping list for the day.

After a few clicks, I helped her figure out how she could get the cream(s) she wanted, get the brand GWP, and the store GWP!

So this morning, the siren call of a Bobbi Brown GWP came in via Sephora’s daily sell email. I click on it-it looks good, so I check for the Estee Lauder Advanced Time Zone eye cream I like.

At Sephora a .5oz jar is $62.

At Macy’s a .5oz jar is $58.

WHAT?

I have become increasingly suspicious of Sephora’s practices.

I get that the 100 point aka $100 threshold for the VIB deluxe samples really cost me $100.

And that they now sell the same deluxe samples that the brands giveaway in GWPs in the stores and online.

But to add injury to insult by pricing at a premium?

I don’t think so.

K

 

Stand Up and Curl! Diorshow Iconic Over Curl Mascara

I think I’ve been taking ballet class as an adult for nearly 10 years now.  I have to use “who my boyfriend was at the time” markers to help remember how long. I had been taking class for about a year when the boyfriendathtetime remarked I must take yoga because of my inner radiating calmness.

I know – yeah-what an interesting line.

At the time, I transitioned from being an aerobics princess who was always obnoxiously bouncing around the front, giving the moves some flair, or riffing off my friend’s moves in my own way, or just trying to jump higher.

When I think of it now, I have to laugh at my silliness.

Anyway.

I used to think that being sort of ratty “flashdance” sort of look with torn sweatshirts falling off the shoulder and worn out leg warmers was the look to covet, but not anymore.

Neat hair, leotard, tights and cover up with no holes, and believe it or not, pretty make up.

If you flip open any fitness magazine, they are always telling people to remove their make up before exercising.

I get it-it clogs the pores blah blah blah.

But when you think about it-ballet is a moving art form-and if wearing a little mascara makes it prettier, then ..

1.  Mascara for me must make it through ballet class without making me look like raccoon ballerina.

Sometimes it’s so bad it looks like a botched smoky look.

I guess that makes sense because one of those passed on mascaras is Bobbi Brown’s Smoky Eye Mascara.  I like the way it lengthens and it’s not clumpy but it looks pretty bad after class.

Another fail was Trish McEvoy’s High Volume Mascara-great at first-but now it sits in my mascara graveyard, only to be used when I know I am only going to not do anything more physical than lift a glass a wine.

2. When Clumping is Good-it’s ok when mascara washes off in “clumps” -a phrase taken from my ace brow person, Stacie at Marsha Nadalin, vs smudgy messes that can only be removed with oil or real eye make up remover.

That’s what I like about the Trish mascara, but it was a fail at the raccoon test.

However-I was searching for a xmas gift and know that she really likes mascara and it must satisfy pretty much the same requirements.

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl came with a mini 5 eye shadow quad of neutral colors – cream, peach, light brown, medium brown and a brown for liner.

I am loving the mascara.

It stays on in class and doesn’t move – even when I perspire.

It comes off easy without special efforts. Comes off with my Cerave’ foaming face cleanser, or my Fresh Soy cleanser.

3.  Stand Up and Deliver-mascara doesn’t have to curl for me to like it, but the Dior product does work well and pretty much stays at attention through the entire class.

The plus was the little eye shadow that came in the holiday pack.  I had always been curious about it, but you know Clinique and everybody else and their sister brother give away eye shadow in their gwps-so I only buy shadow if I really like the color.

The colors are really neutral but for my aging lids, works better than wearing a lot of color product.

Since people are now referring to me as “issheyourmom?” I need all the help I can get.

k

Beauty Illusion-Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Eye Shadow

Usually I run away from the Chanel counter-I have set my own limits for what I am willing to pay for any given product.

But lately I have noticed that Bobbi Brown really raised her prices–Laura Mercier probably has too, but her products still stand in the light of I love them so much I buy them anyway.

Bobbi on the other hand–it’s just too expensive—maybe get a lower paid spokesperson?

Anyway.

I threw out my old Bobbi cream shadows because I realized it has been years since my fav makeup artist Jamie T left Neiman Marcus and had a baby who must be 3-4 years old.

So what does that mean?

HA HA More room for new stuff!!!!!!

I like eye shadow pallettes and I don’t know if it was on QVC or where-but I saw a Bobbi pallette that intriqued me. But I went to her site and it’s not there so…whatevs.

I like a particular purply shimmery brown ish color.  I had it in Bobbi and I think she called it Black Opal in her cream shadows.

I was cruising Macy’s waiting for the bf to do his clothes shopping (which literally takes hours), and saw the color I love at the Chanel counter in their D’Ombre line.

I try not to lead salespeople on by trying on something I have zero intention of buying. But this day I was in the buying mood and the woman who helped me was less the brand’s attitude if you get my meaning.

She tried every color in the line on her hand and asked if I wanted to try it on.

I would only say yes if she opened a brand new shadow but of course they don’t. If you read about the amount of bacteria in sample testers you wouldn’t either.

Some people have no problem with spreading germs all over everywhere including the creams and shadows at ANY make up counter or store.

As we say in Hawaii-pi-lau- pronounced pee-lauw.

Ick.

Anyway back to the review. I bring the product home which I have yet to really try on my skin-and I open it with the kind of reverence you pay to Chanel. I was surprised to find that the shadow is creamy-yet it’s a powder at the same time.

I put it on with a brush in pretty light layers-then I take my Laura Mercier blending brush(like a stipler) and blend it down.  I take a little light brown matte color from Bobbi and blend that in.

It’s a little more color than I usually wear-but I really like the Chanel shadow and will probably buy more. It would be cool if they offered it in a little less shimmery formula which wears better on older lids.

But between my Fresh Black Tea Extract Serum and my Shiseido Benfiance eye creams-my crepey lids and those extremely annoying horizontal lines have faded especially the crepiness.

k

 

Neck Up-Clarins Advanced Extra Firming Neck Cream

I don’t know about you guys, but of late, I’ve been thinking more about the skin below my face – mainly my neck, and specifically where my neck ends and my decollete’ starts.

I guess it’s gravity aka old age but my skin seems to be stretching and changing texture in that specific area.

When I visit make up counters I ask about what they offer in the way of neck creams, and for the most part most brands don’t carry a specific neck product.

I guess it goes with the fact that most brands started somewhere whether it’s based in color or skin, and they eventually branch out from skin to color, or color to skin.  Like Clinique is a skin company who added color, or Bobbi Brown is a color company, that added skin.

Some of the walks on the wild side work, other times Not!

Anyway—

Clarins is a skin company that branched out to color – so after walking around Nords the other day (finally got a parking space in the Nords lot-Ala Moana is going through an expansion to add Bloomingdales and the closed  parking lot by Sears is causing MAJOR traffic jams.  Not to mention Nords is starting construction to expand on that side of the lot – pretty soon there won’t be any place to park!  Ala Moana management needs to start the holiday valet service now, so people won’t just get frustrated and go to Ward Centre).

The person at Nords Clarins came from Macy’s and is now their sales manager. I forget her name, but she has a singsong voice and when she told me the story of the neck cream and the sun flowers swaying in the wind, like your head, are both supported by a strong base – the sunflower stalk, or your neck.

I know-pretty funny.

I’ve been using the cream in the morning and the evening, and I have to say, I see an improvement in my skin when the product is applied. Non sticky, pleasant fragrance, and goes right in-what more could I ask for.

At $80 something a jar,if it works I’m happy. Plus it just happened to be extra bonus time, so I got a deluxe toner which I’m running out of, Beauty Flash Balm, and something else it didn’t make an impact on me. I think I may have mailed it to my mom.

As a side note, I had gone to WW mall counter and the girl there showed me a different neck product from Clarins.  I don’t know if she is just not educated or lazy, but I asked the Nords person about it, and she said the other $105 product also helps get rid of spots on your neck.

A high recommend – it won’t improve your decollete’ area if it is highly damaged, but I think it’s good for when you’re showing the signs.  (If you have more damage, it’s time to visit the doc).

k

 

 

What I Really Really Want! Foundation that matches my skin!

It really bugs me when purchasing foundation in any form – tinted moisturizer, powder compact, creme compact, foundation stick, liquid and any other gyration, and it doesn’t work for me once i head out the store.

My pet peeve is when the makeup artist projects their desire to be tan and sells me foundation that is too dark.

Only to be topped by my other peeve – that even in the best stores, the lighting is terrible and you can’t see that the color doesn’t work, before you plunk down your hard earned cash!

(The exception to the lighting issue is the Mac company store.  Customers have their foundation applied in such gorgeous light – how can you possibly be mismatched? All in the pursuit of a flawless, usually matte visage’).

I’ve been pretty lucky with Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier foundation color – but mostly because I advocate for my self since my former beloved Bobbi rep left almost 3 years ago to pursue a career in nails and brows – after that, the remaining salespeople never really convinced me they were trying to find the best colors and products for me. Every time I would go to the counter and the colors I bought from them like lipsticks and eye shadows have bit the dust or I gave them to my friends.

I constantly read about the raves for Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer and having had myself “matched” and given the color sand – I just couldn’t make it work.

Love love love LM’s Radiance Primer-and finally found using a light dusting of her powder compact foundation was the best solution.

But I just couldn’t give up the search – the quest for the perfected tinted moisturizer in the fabled line.

So, I recently packed for a trip, and somehow my dop kit full of make up is reduced to a small box about 1/3 the size.  Mostly because I break out the samples.

In the last NM bag, I got a sample of LM tinted moisturizer which I tossed off because I thought it was the same sand color that doesn’t really work.

Unbelievably the color in the sample tube is perfection! Now I believe when others gush about LM.

Anyway–the perfect color on the face is the one that matches your skin, but makes you look a bit better.  I don’t really like a truly flawless face, tho for a big night out it works. But what I’m really getting at is some people don’t realize that their foundation has become really gray on their skin, or has caked.

I know easy is well easy, but when your face is the first thing people see, then well…why wear powder foundation if it dries and crackles, or mineral powder that turns gray, or pink foundation when your undertone is yellow.

Oh well.

k

Shimmer vs Radiance – Laura Mercier

I really like Laura Mercier’s approach to foundation- go for a flawless look but still natural.

Coming of age in the 90-s, I sported the matte, powdered-mask look using Lancome’s Dual-Finish, dark-brown-red lips, neutral eye.

And of late, more beauty magazines are suggesting women who are older use a lighter hand – especially when it comes to foundation for everyday looks.

The last LM make up artist event I purchased the radiance primer and tinted moisturizer liquid creme.

I do like the look-but I think the tinted moisturizer doesn’t really work for me.

However, I did combine the radiance primer, with Lancome ‘s silicon based primer over it, powdered a little with Make Up Forever’s HD Powder, and I think I found a better combination for me.  The silicon primer smooths out the edges without adding color, and the powder takes it all down a notch. For a more perfected look, I use my foundation brush and dab a little bit of Bobbi Brown’s foundation stick under my eyes, my nose and around my mouth and blend like crazy.

The other day, I picked up a sample of LM’s Illuminating tinted moisturizer.

Put on by itself, it brightens my complexion significantly-today I put on the regular tinted moisturizer over it, followed by the silicon primer and powder.

Tomorrow I think I will use it like the radiance primer, and top it off with the silicon primer, foundation stick and powder.

Stay tuned!

k

 

 

Moving Target

Yesterday I planned to go to Nordstrom’s, not so much for the event, but because I had some time, a rarity on a Sunday.

I should have taken it as a sign from the full parking lot that it might be crowded.

Yes, it was.

And then, one of the most irritating things in retail.

The counters had been moved around.  Kiehl’s had been moved from the center in front of the escalators, and had been replaced by Mario Bedescu, Erno Laslo, et al. You know, the lines that have a few specialty or cult products but are probably actually being given a last gasp before the store shows them the door.

And the counters were very crowded with people wanting to experience the event and the “new” offers.  I went by Bobbi Brown three times to sample her new BB cream-felt it on my hand, great texture.  At Clinique the rep had her hands full doing a makeover.

I finally found Kiehl’s which had been crowded onto half a counter.

This is my beef with Nordstrom’s they just don’t have enough reps at any given time.  You can roll a bowling ball through on some days, and even on a day projected to be busy weekend, there still aren’t enough reps.

Go to Macy’s and there are plenty of reps – but also a bunch of floaters – who can ring you up if you know what you want.  Or Neiman’s is usually staffed with someone who knows the line, but who are, like Sephora, driven by sales goals.  I get that it’s all about the sales, but consultative selling will when out over being pushed anyway.

I’m just not that easily convinced to buy a product just because someone says so. I guess that’s why buying color is challenging, unless if the rep actually gives a rip and is trying to get you the right color foundation, lip or eye selection.

Anyway-I like having things stay in the same place so I don’t have to wander around.

Don’t you?

k

Getting Ready Faster and Faster

 

Lately, for those who follow my blog, there has been more and more lag time between posts.

It’s not because I have a lack of subjects. But just time is at a premium lately.

I used to sit by myself at the gym long after my friends had gotten ready and left for work.

Lately, I am flying out of there myself to run an errand or get a few things done before whatever commitments I have.  Part of that is I like to be driving when there is the least amount of traffic.

So, normally it will take me 35 minutes to get ready from start to finish including blow-drying my hair and nice make up.

Just shaving off 15 minutes is a major deal. That means I just dry my hair to get the dampness out, and do stuff like:

Use pencil eyeliner instead of gel or Laura Mercier‘s Tightliner which requires and extra step

Use a neutral powder eye shadow base instead of Laura Mercier’s eyeshadow primer which enriches the color

Use tinted moisturizer which is more forgiving then to use liquid foundation. ( I know powder or otherwise mineral foundation is really fast but the color usually grays up).

Line with Laura Mercier lip liner and follow with Rose balm instead of lipstick or gloss.

Use Bobbi Brown Tortoise collection shadow set instead of dabbing on Laura Mercier creme eye shadow

I do not cheat on some steps:

Treatment – apply a squirt of Kiehl’s Power Line Concentrate

Moisturizer- Kiehl’s Rosa Artica

Sunscreen – Clarin’s spf40 under anything else

Lashes- I’ve been using Grande Lash MD to grow my lashes and I believe I am seeing results after two weeks. Lately I just need a swish of mascara (back to Mac ZoomLash)

That’s pretty much it-somehow I’m still getting more on my face than what women’s magazine’s would consider 5 minute make up -but oh well.

k

 

 

Luxury BB or Fancy Tinted Moisturizer with Treatment?

I’ve been trying out different BB creams – just getting samples here and there-you know Estee Lauder, Clinique, Dr. Jart, Boscia, Sulwahsoo etc.  I’m wondering when Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier will jump on the bandwagon?  Long after mineral powder firmly placed Bare Escentuals as the category killer, Bobbi Brown brought out hers.  I tried but didn’t buy.  I bought Laura Mercier’s- but the product rep failed to tell me that the color gets pretty dark -so I gave it to my friend who tans.

Anyway.

Now I’m wondering when Laura M and Bobbi B will offer up a BB cream?  I mean, I really like the idea of a one size fits all products but the tint is usually off for Asian complexions, or I worry about spf protection and put on my beloved Clarins  spf40 on anyway.

Recently I was killing a few minutes in Macy’s and wandered by Lancome‘ (the Neiman’s Lancome counter is getting smaller and smaller-probably because the woman there is one of those counter snobs.

Off topic.

The floater at Macy’s came out and told me she didn’t know too much since she was just helping whoever at whatever counter.  That’s cool-it was refreshing to talk to someone who admitted they didn’t know much as opposed to the people who go right ahead and sell you something you don’t need in the wrong color.

Can I get a witness?

I sampled Lancome’s RÉNERGIE ÉCLAT MULTI-LIFT – I paste in the name here because why don’t they just call it Energizing Multi-Lift Color?  Kate Winslet is the spokesperson–watching her over the years from chubby heroine in Titanic to the woman she has become has been interesting.  About 2 years ago, she had a moment of astounding beauty, but I’m sorry she just looks hard-Lancome’ needs to rethink her.

So, Lancome does not call it a BB product, but has all the claims of being lifting, illuminating and “skincare”.  I have to admit it feels unbelievable on the skin, and the light tint actually looks perfect on me!  The formula over my regular regimen(Kiehl’s Rosa Artica, Philosophy’s Booster C and Clarins spf 40) wore great all day-with no need to rehydrate with a little dab of Laura Mercier’s Secret Finish.

Pretty fab for $75.

Pretty expensive for foundation-but I guess their pricing theory is they are not calling it a BB cream, they call it a “treatment”, and of course it has a French name so it’s priced it accordingly.

But, I’ve used Renergie’ and it’s a great moisturizer but I don’t really see any other treatment effects-but it is pretty nice. Even if I gave up my regimen, I would still have to put spf under.

Great product. Try it, you might like it.

k