Benefit Porefessional versus Avon Magix (Beware the Pores!)

 

I was absolutely thrilled to receive a sample of Benefit the POREfessional as a sample in my Ipsy Glam Bag. I am always looking for something to help my pores. Even my husband hears my whining. We were in Ulta one day and he felt the need to point out the POREfessional. (Yeah, I drag my poor husband into my beauty world sometimes). Then I pointed out the price. End of discussion. This was my chance to see if it was the balm of my dreams! My very first thought as I used it was "I own this already!" I couldn't believe how close it was to my Avon MagiX Skin Perfector. I was shocked. I feel like Benefit products are touted by beauty bloggers everywhere. No way could my Avon product be the same! After I got over the shock, I realized it is pretty darn close. If you are already using porefessional and looking for a cheaper dupe, try the magix and save yourself 20 bucks!

Never tried either? First I have some questions for you! Do you have large pores? Do you feel you need some spackle to fill it all in? That is how I see both the porefessional and the magix. Face spackle. They are both a thicker filler/primer to smooth out your skin. They both leave you with a a soft velvet like matte finish. The texture is amazingly soft and silky for both products. They can both be worn alone or under foundation.

Benefit the POREfessional Pro Balm

$30 for a 0.75 tube. It comes out in a peachy skin tone but does not seem to have any effect on color and is described at a "translucent" finish. I use it on my chin, nose, and part of my cheeks and it blends out into the rest of my skin without color. It is oil free and contains Vitamin E. It is recommended to help minimize the appearance of pores and mattify shine.

 Avon MagiX Face Perfector

$10 for a 1.0 oz tube. (See cheaper AND more product). Avon also runs sales a lot and I have seen this marked down even lower.This is also oil-free and contains rose extract and fleece flower (for whatever that's worth). Avon recommends this to "blur" your fine lines and pores.
I first picked this up when I was looking into using primer with my face routine. It was the very first primer I used in my routine. I've tried quite a few things since, but still come back to this. I love the matte look as a lot of the primers to produce a glowing dewy look create too much shimmer or shine. I'd rather just use highlighter in the right areas.
My other pro for the Avon is that I have sensitive skin and I have yet to find a product that bothers my skin. My skin breakouts if you even look at it wrong. This product does not clog my pores or make me breakout. I've been using it for about a year now.

You can order directly from Avon.com or you can find an Avon rep in your area. P.S. I don't sell Avon. I just think this is a great product.

Its in the bag!

I'm going to make this a recurring monthly post, because I have so much fun with it! I switched purses this month and this is what I found hanging out in the other purse! Do you hoard in your purse?! I definitely do! 12 lip products. Twelve.

The breakdown:

• Zipfizz energy drink mix: Pink Lemonade and Orange- I'm a mom on the run!
• Pink comb
• Pink bubble necklace- After night out with the girls progressed to night in, this got tucked in my bag
• 1 child's mitten
• Glasses case
• Leopard makeup bag- I like to keep my feminine products tucked away in cute makeup bags
• Blonde hair tie
• Dutch Bro's coffee card- Do we see a caffeine theme?! 
• Canon camera battery charger- Whenever I go on a trip I tuck this into my purse to have it at the ready
• Stewie Griffin mints- What can I say? I'm a nerd. 
• 3D movie glasses- in keeping with the nerd theme. 
• Epi pen- I always have it at the ready for my kiddos allergies. 
• Mini lotion bottle - Bath and Body Works: Rain Kissed Leaves
• Loose change
• Glittered purse holder for tables- who wants their purse on the ground? 

Here are the lip products I couldn't live without last month apparently (left to right):

• Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss in Pinkissimo
• Artistry lipgloss in Glitz (This has a mirror and a light! Crazy)
• Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Nearly There 
• Nyx lipstick in Iris
• L'Oreal Star Secrets lipstick in Kerry's Rosewood (This is an AMAZING lipstick & color)
• L'Oreal Hydrasoft lipstick in Tahitian Teak
• Sonia Kashuk lipgloss in Shrinking Violet
• Be a Bombshell lip crayon in Shameless
• E.L.F. lipgloss in Bashful
• L'Oreal Colour Juice in Pina Colada
• Wet n' Wild Megaslicks lipgloss in Cherish
• Philosophy lipgloss in Bubbly

My FAVORITE thing in my purse is the L'Oreal Star Secrets lipstick in Kerry's Rosewood. It is the perfect go with anything lip color. Not a washed out nude, not an overpowering pink. It is somewhere in the middle. I have hard time finding natural lip colors that don't look washed out. This color is amazing. It is not a heavy lipstick either. It has a nice sheen to it as well. 

So, what is hiding in your purse? What is your MUST HAVE purse item? (Can you guess that mine is lip product?) 

John Frieda Colour Refreshing Gloss

Earlier in the fall I went from blonde to dark red brown. I was very disappointed that in a few weeks the color was nearly washed out. It probably wasn't even a "few" weeks, more like two. My hairstylist assured me that it was just due to the fact it was the first dark after blonde. I didn't want to go to the salon every 3 weeks just because my color faded. Shortly after I colored it dark a second time I was horrified to see how much hair color came out on a white towel after I washed my hair. I switched over to shampoo and conditioner for colored hair. I decided I needed to do more to combat the fade! Enter color depositing conditioners. I researched for weeks and ended up buying nothing. Then I was shopping at a drugstore and happened across this John Frieda. 12 bucks? What could it hurt? Most of the color depositing conditioners I looked at were for purchase online or at only beauty supply stores. You can find this John Frieda at Target or Walgreens for example. Very accessible. 

I picked the "cool reds" to keep the red undertone to my brown. You can purchase: Warm Red, Warm Blonde, Warm Brunette, or Cool Red, Cool Blonde, Cool Brunette. You can head over to John Frieda to find your color. The results are very subtle but enough to help your hair along. I might try cool brunette in the future. Even if you don't color your hair but just want a little pick me up you can use this. It is not permanent. 

I used it once when my sister was visiting. I swore it made my hair look more brown! So I asked her "does my hair look more brown?" and her response "if anything it looks more red". That was before I told her why I was asking. 

So how does it work? The bottle says it will last 6 weeks in between coloring. I'm at week 6 and still have some in my bottle. Each week you do a treatment in the shower. You apply a quarter size amount 3-5 times starting at the roots and working down. You only have to leave it in 3 minutes. Everyone has 3 minutes! 

Before

After

In the before picture you can see where my blonde highlights were fading out. You can see in the after how it deepened my color again. I am currently 6 weeks post coloring! The bright lights in my bathroom make my hair appear a lot lighter than it is, but you can see how it just perks up the color without being overwhelming.

Here is what it looks like in my hand:

As you can see it always turns my hands slightly pink after using 

 You can see a bit more of the reddish undertone my hair has in these pictures:

I've gotten quite a few comments on how "lucky" I am that when I color my hair it stays so shiny and deep in color. Well, now you know my secret! Red seems to wash out so quickly if you ask any girl who has gone red. Many choose not to stay red because of the dreaded fade. Fight the fade! 12 dollars for 6 weeks is 2 bucks a treatment. Beyond worth it! You won't regret purchasing this product.

Ipsy, January 2014: A Review

This month was an ugly glam bag. I have had two months of bags that I absolutely loved. I guess it was about time to have a bag I didn't like. It's not that I mind the colors, but the silhouttes of the makeup products are a bit cheesy.. bleh.

This month my Ipsy Glam bag contained:

• (MALIN + GOETZ) mojito lip balm
• Benefit POREfessional 
• Yaby Natural Finish Foundation in Buff
• Absolute! Makeup Cleansing Tissue
• Balanced Guru Body Balm

(MALIN + GOETZ) mojito lip balm.

First and foremost, I'd like to take a minute to complain about the packaging. It looks like a medicated ointment! I wouldn't really want to pull it out of my bag in front of anyone. Don't mind me while I put on my medicated ointment. Packaging does matter. It seems they went with a plain look, but the white with blue lettering? I am new to this brand, and they have not won me over. The actual lip balm is very greasy feeling. A little goes a long way and its hard to get just a little out of this tube. The lip balm has a little note "fatty acid absorption technology" on the front. What is that?! It doesn't say anywhere on the tube either. Or their website. Which seems to me like it doesn't really mean anything.... I've read through some testimonials of their other products. It seems their face care is their big seller. "Better than proactiv" Maybe I'll have to try something other than the lip gloss... As far as the mojito scent? I was hoping for party in a tube... it is barely scented. 12 dollars for a tube. No way would I pay that much!  

Benefit the POREfessional

As I've mentioned, my pothole pores can always use a little help. I was very excited to try this out because its on the spendy side. Thats the great thing about Ipsy! Try before you buy. 30 bucks for a tube over at Ulta. This really did a good job spackling over my pores and had a soft finish. However, now that I've tried it, a cheaper dupe would be Avon Magix face perfector, which I already own. Seriously very similar in formula. The Avon only costs 10 bucks! Check Magix out here. 

Here is the POREfessional under the Yaby foundation

What pores?!

Yaby natural finish liquid foundation

I love trying out different foundations! I was pleasantly surprised that it cost 13.55 from their website. It blended very well, was easy to work with, and provided a medium to full coverage without being cakey or too thick. The color I received was buff, and it seems to match my winter skin pretty well. It is something I would consider buying in the future. 

A! Absolute! Make-up Cleansing Tissues 

These sell for 6.99 over at Walgreens. That seems pretty average for makeup removal wipes. I honestly use wipes a lot in the evening. After a 12 hour shift I want easy makeup removal. The cucumber scent is nice. These do a nice job. 

Balanced Guru Body Balm

Egads! They charge 45 through their website for this body balm, and you will be surprised to learn it doesn't contain diamonds or gold. For the travel size, which I am sampling, it costs 12 dollars. That is too much for me to splurge on a body balm. This company does use organic ingredients, so if you are trying to use organic products you may want to check it out. It is a very strong citrusy scent. It also has an undertone that reminds me of Vick's vapor rub. 45 dollars for something that smells slightly medicated is just too much for me. It does not absorb into the skin very well and leaves my skin shimmery and shiny and a bit tacky. This product is not for me. Also, if you want me to recognize your brand name, you might make it a bit bigger on your packaging. Just sayin'

Join me on ipsy and subscribe to the Glam Bag! You get 4-5 beauty products every month delivered to your door, for just $10. Michelle Phan curates the bags! Check it out here

Birchbox, January 2014: A Review

Anytime a box can introduce me to a product I can't live without its a great month!

Nelson j Beverly Hills Argon Oil 7 Healing Mask

Wowsa. I actually already have purchased the full size of this product and it is shipping out as we speak! I got the rosemary mint scent as a sample but I have ordered the coconut scent. My husband loved the rosemary mint scent and it did smell amazing. I am obsessed with coconut so I want to give that scent a try as well. They also have a pomegranate scent available. It recommended using it in towel dried hair, but that seemed like an extra step just to rinse it in the shower. I just squeezed excess water after shampooing. I did not leave it in the full 5 minutes as I was in a bit of a hurry that day. This made my hair so touchably soft. Honestly. I could not stop touching my hair. Have you ever tried Redken All Soft? This is like All Soft on steroids. I have color treated hair that I style on an almost daily basis. Talk about damaging. I've found masks before that also make my hair soft. Whats amazing about this? The second day after another shampoo, my hair was still amazingly soft. The lasting effect really surprised me and won me over for sure. It also recommended shampooing after using on fine hair. My hair is fairly fine and I didn't shampoo after and it wasn't greasy or heavy. Check it out here. If you have dry or damaged hair it is 20 dollars well spent! This is the first time I can say I was thrilled to receive a foil packet!



Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Kit
I like that I can use this at my sink without making a huge mess. You apply the cleanser to dry skin. Another plus side is you can use it on your eyelids to remove eye makeup. My eyes are very sensitive and I used this to remove my eye makeup without problem. It comes with a muslin cloth to "polish" off the cleanser. The muslin cloth provides exfoliation. I wouldn't say it is a miracle cleanser and the price point is just too high for me. The Liz Earle website sells it for 25 bucks for a 3 oz bottle.



Under Armour Braided Mini Headbands

I wanted to love this headband. It has a rubbery grippy side to help prevent slipping. It is braided so it is about 1/2 to an inch wide. I have never found a headband that didn't slip. I tried this out at the gym. If I keep it right at the line of my scalp it will stay on, but if it is moved back by even a millimeter it slides off. It is a cute style. It did work for me better than the single strand thin headbands. Many stores sell them and the price varies but around 20 for a 3 pack. 

Ruby Wing Color Changing polish

I got the color kitten heels. It is such a fun color. The pink is super hot pink, and it is supposed to change to a red color. It is a very bright color. The pictures really don't do the color justice. For me it is a color great for summer pedicures more than a fingernail color. It is grey and yucky here and when I tested the outside "solar" color it did not change. Birchbox should have included it in a summer or spring box. My husband made fun of me saying it was for "12 year old girls" but I think I'll have a lot of fun with it this summer. It took two coats to get a good saturation which is pretty typical for most polishes. It chips fairly easily but I'm hard on nail polish! The bottle I received says "mini" on it, but seems to be a decent size. The full size sells for 10 bucks on most sites, but I found it at Amazon for 7.95 plus free shipping.

Camille Beckman Glycerine Hand Therapy

Love this stuff! I got the scent Midnight Monarch and it is fantastic. It includes notes of bergamot, jasmine, patchouli, and sweet vanilla amber. As I was doing some looking into the brand I realized I've used this stuff before! A lot of gift shops and specialty shops carry it. I dislike the butterfly graphic. I can't explain it but my husband says it "looks like something you buy on etsy". It absorbs well leaving your hands feeling super soft without being greasy. Now that I realize what the brand is (I recognized their older packaging) I've loved this brand for a long time. I've received it as gift years ago. I hardly ever use up lotions etc because I have so many, but I used this up in no time. I love the new freshness they are bringing to their brand. A little less old lady-ish. I found it at these three stores in my area using the store locator: Malley's Pharmacy, Beaver Bark, and Gadgets and Goodies. Very random stores as you can see. You can order online from their website for 14 dollars. This is definitely worth the money. You may recognize their other packaging:

If you are interested in having your mailbox become exciting once again, consider joining Birchbox. It is a $10 recurring monthly fee to have deluxe samples in lovely packaging delivered to your door! It's a like a mini-christmas every month! Plus you can review products and earn points to buy items in the Birchbox store. Check it out here: Birchbox

Lip Balm Love: Noya Kosher Natural Lip Balm

Wow. Just wow. I am very hard to please when it comes to lipbalm/chapstick/lipgloss etc. You can ask my coworkers because I readily dish out advice when they tell me they have chapped lips and are using something awful. Maybe obnoxiously so. "You use what?!" I guess I sort of have it out for a certain well known brand that has a lot claims but not a lot to back it up... but I digress.

Here is my love note:

I'll confess, I'm in love with a lip balm. I had a sample mishap with Ipsy and they promised to send me something I would "love". I have to say when I opened it up and saw this little lip balm I was a little disappointed. Lip balm? What is so great about lip balm? How is it different than any other lip balm? I get a lot of samples for lip products. Have you seen how many lip glosses, balms, pencils, stains, sticks, etc exist? But I was wrong... so wrong. Noya, you exceeded my expectations in so many ways! Go buy some. Seriously.

I received the Cherry flavor. Lets just talk first about the flavor. You know that fakey cherry flavor that is overhwhelmingly sweet and has a hint of plastic? That is not what you get here. You know a fresh juicy ripe cherry with some tangy tones as well. Like the actual fruit, for example. I wish I could articulate how great the flavoring is. Its the real deal people. They also have Spearmint, Vanilla, and Unscented/Flavored. Can't wait to try them all. I'm thinking unscented/flavored would be perfect for my manly man. (He would never be caught with the cherry although, honestly, who doesn't love cherry!)

The ingredient list is small, and things that I recognize! Coconut oil! I hear tons of buzz about coconut oil, so if you are into it, this product is for you! Organic extra virgin olive oil, stevia, beeswax, natural flavoring... I can pronounce all those words.

You know what else I love? Simple no gimmick packaging.

How does it wear? Soft. Not sticky at all. Not waxy at all (even with the beeswax as an ingredient). I put it on before a big sweat sesh at the gym. I did a hardcore 30 minute run, followed by 30 minutes of weight training. It was still on my lips after all of that without reapplying. You are going to want to reapply though because its darn good stuff!

Price point. Just about right. 3.99 through their website. Of course there is shipping charge which is kind of a bummer but to be expected. My recommendation, buy a couple of every flavor and then you will feel better about paying for shipping. Hopefully as this brand blossoms we can see it in more stores. There is a store locator option on the website but unfortunately none so far in my area.

Also, I've emailed Noya customer service and they are very quick to respond and quite friendly and personal. Love it. Love being treated like person. You an also feel good that for every balm purchased they give one the homeless. One of the questions I sent their way? Do you test on animals?! As you can see they gave me a resounding no, and some awesome images which I love and felt needed displayed on this blog.

No, I really haven't been paid to act like a fangirl over a lip balm. Yes, I really do adore it that much. Check out the Noya brand here.

bareMinerals Bring on The Night: Review

Can I say that I am in LOVE with this collection. I purchased this at Ulta. The bad news is that I can't seem to find it at Ulta, Sephora or QVC to send you in that direction. I'll review the products and colors for you as they may pop up individually or in new collections. I'm sure you could darken up the look, but to me it is a romantic look perfect for Valentines day coming up!

I've been a bareMinerals fan for a very long time, and this made me fall back in love with the brand.

This color collection includes 8 great pieces:
Mineral Veil Finishing Powder
Matte Eyecolor: Queen Phyllis
READY Eyehadow: Guest Star, Uncensored
Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara
Flawless application face brush
READY Luminizer: the Daydream
Blush: Beauty
Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss: Glamorista












READY luminizer
The daydream seems like a very soft pink color in the compact. On my skin it only give a hint of pink but gives your skin a shimmery pearlescense. It is described as a "pink sugar glow" I'm new to the bareMinerals luminizer and I have to use with a very light hand or I feel like a disco ball. It is NOT glittery but the shimmer is nonstop. I do like this product, but it is not every day wear for me. It might be the lightness of the pink that makes it seem so shimmery. You can check out a similar product here in a bit darker color: READY luminizer duo for 24 bucks. It is also a mirrored compact which is fantastic. Never know when you need a mirror! The more I wear this the better I get at applying without going overboard.



   Matte Eyecolor

Queen phyllis is described as "buttercup" in color. I think that description really fits. Even though this is listed as a matte eyecolor, it definitely has a sheen. It has a great creamy and soft texture. The pigmentation is great. I have other bareMineral loose eyeshadow powders that I really am not a fan of, but this color is amazing. I have such a hard time finding golden colors that don't look harsh. This could be a multitasker in your routine. It has enough sheen that it would be a great highlighter as well as a base for your eyeshadow. It is an every day color. It would be great alone as a no makeup look. I own the Vanilla Sugar color but it is a bit too orangey in comparison. I will definitely snap up this color if I find it as a single. I used it as base and under my brown bone.

READY Eyeshadow

This is my first from the brand's READY collection. 20 bucks will buy you a set of two colors. Check them out here. The set included in this collection is called The Late Show. It includes a bronzey color Guest Star, and a blue/purple hue called Uncensored. The bronze color is very highly pigmented and creamy. Bronze can be another one of those easily unflattering colors but this blends beautifully. The indigo color, as its described, is not as pigmented for some reason and has a glitter to it. It is not as soft and creamy as the bronze. The color is dark but not too dark for day wear. It would look great on a multitude of skin tones. I used bronze on the lid and blended the indigo into the crease.






Blush
I'm a big fan of the all over face colors from bareMinerals and I tend to choose those for my blush because they give you a flush of color without the heaviness of some blushes. Glee is a highly recommended color, but my fave is Rose Radiance for my fair skin.
I hardly every use blush that comes in a compact. I love the loose blushes from bareMinerals. Easy to apply. Almost foolproof. The blush that comes with this collection is Beauty. It runs 19 dollars by itself. Not bad seeing how these tend to last me a LONG time, and almost always use blush (or the all over face color). I really haven't found a blush I like better so it gets used almost daily and it STILL lasts me. Beauty, the color in this collection, is a really bright true pink. It is very youthful in nature. It is NOT a color I would recommend to everyone. It is PINK and very well pigmented. If you aren't into a heavy blush, try the all over face color! My camera does not do the pink justice when I swatched it on my arm, but you can see it in my whole face picture.

Mineral Veil
Another product I love from this brand. I was using another loose powder recently, and have missed my mineral veil! Is powder worth 20 bucks? I say yes. I have tried a variety of drugstore powders that are just a train wreck. This gives you a soft finish, without being too cakey. I also love the sifter that keeps you from spilling it! I can't tell you how many times I've dumped minerals down the sink.

Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Glamorista

This is my first bareMinerals lip gloss. As you can see from this swatch it is nonstop shine! It is a plumping formula and tingles when you wear it. It costs a whopping 18 dollars and you can view some more colors here. Glamorista is a soft pink color that works well with this collection. The pigmentation is middle of the road for lip gloss. I like it for this kit, but I'm not sure I would spend that much on a single. It is a decent size though. My other comment would be that the angled applicator throws me off because I'm not used to it and my preference would be the straight applicators as weird as that sounds.

Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara

I have VERY short lashes, as you can see. This does a great job volumizing but I need a bit more lengthening. Overall I like this mascara. I have no complaints. It does not clump and it gives great volume. It doesn't add as much length as I would like. For 18 dollars that this costs, I would say you can get the same effects from a drugstore mascara. Again, great in this kit, but probably not something to run and out buy as a single.


Flawless Application Brush
I have always loved bareMinerals brushes. This brush is more densely packed with bristles than some of my other brushes. I personally like fluffier brushes for easier application and blending. This brush works well for the lumizer and blush.




I really enjoy the bareMinerals color collections. Individually, bareMinerals can be costly and add up quickly. The color collections are a great way to build up your products for a lot less. I got mine at Ulta on sale for 36 (was 49). The products I got were definitely worth more than that. 8 full size products around 20 bucks a piece... this kit is probably 150 worth of product. It is also a great way to try a variety of their products so you can know what to splurge on individually.