Practical Magic or Impractical Waste

I post my hypothesis entries to see what kind of interest I get in them before moving forward with the series. It didn't seem like everyone was interested in packaging, dispensers, and boxes, like I am. I think the big companies are more interested in what their packaging does for us then readers would be. At least, in the form I was purposing.  So we aren't going to do a series on it. We're just going to do an entry on practicality, waste, and best product dispensers then move on to pricing. That is something I know consumers are interested in; after you pick the package up you turn it over and look for the price. If it isn't there you look around on the display. So we'll be talking about price point, in depth. This is something that I think we'll require some real time and research so I'll enter my post on dispenser practicality or impracticality, then my hypothesis on pricing and we'll get into it a little bit by Wednesday. The new idea portion of the series will have to do with Bestsellers lists. I noticed that they jump from between $35-$40 to $8. Where is the mid-priced non-drugstore higher end brand? Is there one? We'll find out soon enough. 

So packaging. It is one of my favorite things about make-up. I love the look and feel of it all (well the ones I like) but I do have to say that if a dispenser doesn't work for me, if it isn't simple enough or releases way to much product in one go I won't repurchase it. Even if I like the contents; pump, swipe, whatever. If I absolutely love the color, like a foundation color, then I may figure out how to transfer the contents into a dispenser I like better, if transferring doesn't waste most of the product. Foundations are really hard to find in my perfect shade, though. Other than coverage I won't usually go through the trouble. Most of our foray into dispenser will be liquid. Powder products are all dispensed in 2 forms; press and loose. You choose the brush (brushes will be a whole different series). Liquids on the other hand are packaged and dispensed in many different forms; tons of bottles of all shapes and sizes, click pens, upside down flat tops, sprays, and etc. 

We're going to start with click pens because I love and hate them. I love the way they make it so easy to apply products like Bare Minerals Well-Rested, where no matter what the type of dispenser is you're applying the product, or trying, in neat lines around the face. The click pen makes drawing those lines really easy. It makes applying gloss to lips a little more difficult. I always feel like click pens just don't work for lips. Tons of liquid-creamy lip products come in the clickable applicators but they come out thick and the lips are just not long enough to really smooth out the amount dispensed, unless you use your finger. Product gets wasted. Even though you technically need less product for your lips the clickable applicators, for lips, always run out quicker than a concealer, let's say. My concealer or highlight always looks better when I apply with one of the built-in brush/product combos (some don't click).

Click/Built-in Applicator Concealers- 

• Bare Minerals- Well-Rested Face and Eye Brightener 
• Maybelline- Instant Age Rewind Eraser 
• Maybelline- Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer
• CK One- 3-in-1 Concealer
• Lorac- Touch-up to Go Concealer  

Note- Some believe the sponge, on Instant Age Rewind, would be better replaced with a brush. They find the sponge to be dirty and a little wasteful but the product does apply smooth, evenly, and easily. It is a bestseller amongst drugstore concealers and a favorite of many make-up artists. 

Built-in Applicator

Wand Applicator

Click Applicator

 I added wand applicators in because they are part of the whole package and the wand is built in to the lid but they aren't on the same level with true built-in's and click applicators. They do not  give you the precision of either. I always find myself taking a small concealer brush and grabbing some product off of the wand. Now, that's not all wands. I think wands are very nice when it comes to lips. They spread the product out smoothly and lightly as long as you scrape the extra off on the edge before applying. 

Now, Bottles. Their are tons of them. I don't like the ones that are true bottles cap and circular opening, to pour. If your foundation comes in a bottle it should have a pump top dispenser or an eye-drop top dispenser with a firm form, so as not to over squeeze. The upside down varieties are usually a ticker consistency so they don't come pouring out when opened. They tend to have a less distinct dropper dispensing format; one short squeeze equals a drop. One long squeeze equals a line or about 3 drops. Less precise than a true dropper or pump but much, much more precise than a liquid pourer or True bottle. True bottled foundation ends up getting wasted. You pour out too little the first time and too much when you need more or you pour out an enormous amount to begin with. Its never precise, never the same. I like knowing what my face needs; one pump or two, 2 drops or 4. Whatever it may be I like to know so that I can reduce that for lighter coverage or increase for fuller coverage. I want to control it and I definitely don't want to waste product. It is not cheap. 
 

Pump dispenser.

Circular pour out dispenser.

 

Upside down squeeze dispenser. Less precise dropper, situation.

Pump and Drop Liquid Foundations- 

• MAC- varying lines in both pump and dropper form
• Giorgio Armani- varying lines in pump form
• Philosophy- Miracle Worker 
• Benefit- Hello Flawless
• Bare Minerals- BareSKIN
• IT Cosmetics- Ultra Repair 
• Lorac- POREfection 
• Revlon- Photo Ready Makeup

  Sticks and all the rest are pretty self explanatory. As long as you blend you'll always get a nice even application. We'll be moving on to pricing next. Enjoy this beautiful day!!!

Mother's Day- Mature Skin Tutorial

In honor of Mother's Day we're going to deviate from our dive into dispensers and packaging and talk about products that work for "mature" skin. I know all you mothers out there aren't of mature skin, yet, but my mother is so in honor of her that's what we'll be chatting about. 

To start, women with more mature skin should not wear anything marked "Luminous," it has the same affect that matte nail polish has on the finger nails. Any slight nick or imperfection is magnified when you use luminous products on your face. Use matte products. They have the opposite effect on the face; they hide imperfections and keep everything smooth, matte, and even. The worst product combo someone with mature skin can use is a luminous all-over face primer like L'Oreal's Paris Magic Lumi Primer and luminous foundation, in any coverage range, like L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation. If your of mature skin this will enhance any imperfections and wrinkles you may have or it will make lines that are just starting to form look like full blown wrinkles. Don't use either of these products singularly and especially not as a combo in any given brand. 

A couple of primers that will work for mature, over 50, skin.

• Stila Hydrating Primer SPF 15 
• Revlon Age Defying Instant Firming Face Primer
• Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Anti-Aging Face Primer
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer Skin Transformer
• Tarte Recreate Silicone-Free Anti-Aging Primer

Moisturize deeply and fully, use a good "mattifying" primer and your usual range of coverage for the freshest look. Next, choose a concealer that brightens but doesn't illuminate. Bare Minerals Well-Rested Face & Eye Brightener is a perfect choice. The powder is $18 and the liquid is $22 but I'd say if you were going to shell out for one higher-end item in your entire collection it should be either of the two Well-Rested products. Well, and I mean well, worth the cost for anyone who has lacked sleep or overslept but especially for mature skin because it brightens without illuminating. You can use the liquid under your eyes, up the bridge of your nose and center of your forehead, and in all of the places you'd usually highlight without any shimmer (don't worry you still get to highlight with a little shimmer you just won't be over shimmering yourself and magnifying any imperfections.)

Well-Rested Face & Eye- $22. This is much easier to apply and better for all over use.

Well-Rested Face & Eye SPF20- $18. This is a better purchased for those of you that need most of your lift in the eye area.

  Now that you've concealed and brightened choose a matte bronzer. Even on less mature skin bronzers with shimmer in them can make your face look muddy. You don't want a muddy look, ever, especially when your more than likely going for dignified and classy. It may take you a little extra time but contour out your cheekbones, at least, and if your in a rush lightly bronze your forehead. If you have the time, take it to contour out your cheekbones, forehead, and jawline with a quality matte bronzer a few shades darker than your foundation. Make sure to buff out the harsh lines. You don't want to end up looking like a drag queen. Although, my mom would say if its a young drag queen that's OK with me. I don't know that everyone is as hardcore as her though, so buff.  

Bestselling Matte Bronzers (in varying price/color ranges): 

• NYC Sunny Bronzer- $3
• NYX Matte Bronzer- $9
• Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer- $30
• Tarte Amazonion Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer- $30
• Lorac TANtilizer Highlighter & Matte Bronzer Duo- $32

Now that your done, at least, contouring out those beautiful cheekbones lets work on our eyes. They should already be brightened and lifted but if you forgot to add a little concealer above your eyebrows to lift, do that now. This is a cheap and immediate brow-lift without the 6 month headache and pain. It really gives the illusion of a lifted brow. Blend.
 

Apply BM Well-Rested liquid pen according to diagram and above the tail up to the arch and a little passed, for a brow-lift.

Grab your shadow and usual brow tinter. Apply eye-shadow and contour your eye lids, as usual, but leave the super shimmery brow bone and inner corner shadow behind. Grab something just as bright but with less shimmer, instead of MAC's shroom, for example, grab something like MAC's Mylar, very similar colors with different amounts of shimmer. Mylar is bright and has a small amount of finely ground shimmer but not an overwhelming amount like in Shroom. Now, highlight your brow bones and inner corners. Tint your eyebrows with a brow whiz, powder, or pencil as usual. 

MAC Shroom. Very shimmery highlight.

MAC Mylar. Lighter color gives you the same highlight but less shimmer is just a little more refined.

Now, apply a matte blush work up on the apple of your cheek and down from your temple. Blend it into the bronzer to remove harsh lines. Finally, take a nice powder highlighter something with a lighter and darker color, like Bobbi Brown's Highlighting Brick, and apply the color of your choice, something to match your blush, to the top of your cheeks. Take the lightest color and highlight the cupids bow and center of your forehead, very sparingly. Don't over do it with the highlighter. Just enough to catch the light. Use a real hair brush to ensure that you don't over highlight (goat, squirrel, or rabbit hair- Sigma has great ones for good prices). Your done. This will never fail, Mommies. 

Duo or Brick Powder Highlighters

• Too Faced Candlelight Glow Duo
•  Laura Geller Beauty Baked Split Highlighter Duo 
• Benefits Hervana
• Revlon Highlighting Palette 
• Maybelline Master Hi-lite (highlighting not bronzer, read carefully their lumped together)
• Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick (varying color palettes)
• Stila All Over Shimmer Duo in Kitten
• Wet n Wild Fergie Rose Champagne Glow
  

 Happy Mother's Day!!!!!