A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

We wear makeup for many different reasons. Some of us like to experiment with colour, some of us like to improve upon our natural beauty *cough*, and some of us enjoy piling on everything we own just because we can.

At the moment, I’m somewhere between number two and a facefull of slap. Whenever I’m sick (is she still going on about that?), my skin is the first place it shows and the last place it recovers. Flaky, blotchy, purple under the eyes, and spots a-plenty are the order of the day. Which is exactly what one needs when you already feel like shit, of course.

Whilst I’d love to tweak my skincare routine to improve my natural radiance and rebalance my complexion from the inside out… I’d also like to be able to sprout a pair of wings and crap on the EDL headquarters from a great height. Sadly, neither are happening any time soon, and so instead, I turn to my makeup routine for the answers and pray that it won’t fail me.

This isn’t a tutorial as such, I’m no bleedin’ make up artist after all… but I thought I’d go into some real depth about the products that I’m using to work, what is basically, a skin miracle at the moment.

First things first, skin prep. If your skin is suffering, you can’t ignore this step in the routine. It’s imperative that you give your makeup the best possible base upon which to sit. It may be that you’re fighting an oil-slick or something akin to moon craters, or perhaps like me… you’re battling dryness of epic proportions. Take an extra five-minutes to target these concerns before you even go near your face with foundation, the finished result will be worth the effort.

Starting with a cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturised face… I deal with the dryness that has been causing my foundation to cling in patches. Upon Caroline‘s advice, I’m treating my skin to a moisture sandwich of oil and cream, first with an Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss (£62.00) capsule which delivers an antioxidant-rich hydration boost in the form of moringa oil, followed immediately by a generous layer of La Roche Posay’s Nutritic Intense Riche* (£14.00)

And then I wait. A couple of minutes later, I can tell where I need additional hydration, so I work a little more of the LRP into the skin, avoiding the areas that are prone to midday oiliness. That done, I move onto the one product that generally replaces “primer” for me during the colder months.

Maqpro Makeup Mixer (from £8.00) is a makeup artist’s trick taught to me by the wonderful Kenneth Soh who recommended it to me a couple of years ago as a great base for mineral products on drier skins. It’s a tip that continues to save me whenever my skin is behaving badly. Not only is it a wonderful mixer for sheering out heavier foundations, it also does wonders for improving how a product applies over, and sits ontop of dry skin without compromising the moisture levels underneath.

At this point, I use a brush to apply the Maqpro but I don’t work it fully into the skin, preferring instead to dot the product allover with the brush and only lightly blend. This way, it combines easily and increases the glide of the next layer of product.

Before even contemplating foundation, I still want to improve the radiance levels of my skin. A lot of the time, I reach for a liquid illumintor that I can apply allover and then “tone down” with foundation. I’ve been trying something a little different recently in the form of this rather splendid Lyster Cream Bronzer* (£36.00) from Swedish brand Manasi Makeup.

The pot contains far more product (55g) than I could ever see myself using and as such, I do wish they offered a smaller-size for less money but I can’t deny that the product itself is beautiful. Free from mineral oils and parabens, it delivers something inbetween a bronzer and a luminizer that works very nicely against my pale skintone. If you’re blessed with naturally great skin, I could see something like this being your one-pot wonder for sunkissed, healthy-looking skin without fear of looking orange or overdone.

I tap my brush lightly on the top (you don’t need much) and work the bronzer all over my skin using a circular motion, it blends nicely… but even more beautifully with my layer of Maqpro beneath it.

Finally, it’s time for foundation! At the moment, I’m alternating between my Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in shade 4.5 (£34.50) and my beloved tube of Clinique Supermoisture Makeup* (£19.35) which is a better option for when I don’t have the time to do this kind of skin prep. If I am using the Clinique, I skip the Maqpro in this next step as it’s an exceptionally moisture-rich foundation on its own merit.

When I’m using anything other than the Clinique, I reach again for the Maqpro (as shown below). One blob of each and using the same face brush as I’ve been using all along, I give the products a little mix on the back of my hand before working into my skin lightly.

I never apply foundation heavily or in more than one layer when my skin is playing up because it doesn’t matter how much preparation or effort I put into the application, after a few hours… my foundation will clump over the dehydrated patches if it’s too heavy. Which is why, I always reach for concealer as the last step despite usually being a bit of a concealer-phobe when my skin is less fussy.

Bare Minerals SPF 20 Correcting Concealer* (£21.00) is the perfect choice for dry skin-types thanks to a light texture and a lot of slip. It’s very creamy and offers a good amount of coverage, making it a great choice when your aim is to keep your layers as thin as possible. The final step is a little precision highlighting with something like the iconic YSL Touche Eclat (£25.00).

Now, that’s quite a lot of product but use my “how-to” as a guide rather than a manual. The principles are simple and you’ll already have certain products in your collection that you know you can substitute…

1. Make a real effort to get your skin in the best condition possible before you go near it with colour.
2. Work in thin, lightweight layers.
3. Add additional moisture or “slip” as you go.
4. Now isn’t the time for powder, keep things creamy.
5. If you’re nervous about being too heavy-handed with illuminator or bronzer, apply it before your foundation.
6. Leave concealer until the last possible moment, you’ll end up using less product as a result.

How’s your skin behaving at the moment and what trickery are you employing to get the best from your complexion?

* press sample

Bare Minerals have added a new shade to their popular High Shine Eye Color range just in time for Summer!

Rose Gold* is (as the name suggests) a pinked bronze that looks pretty damn awesome combined with a pair of green eyes (if I do say so myself!)

The pigment contains enough warmth to pop the green tones in my eyes whilst keeping the overall feel of the shadow to that of a more wearable neutral.

The applicator sadly still suffers from my original complaints against it and whilst lovely, I’m not making any claims that the shade is particularly undupable.   However, the formula is remarkably creamy and blends out beautifully with my fingers for a super-quick stroke of colour.

Bare Minerals High Shine Eye Color in Rose Gold will be available on counter and online from June priced at £15.

* Press Sample

Bare Escentuals may be more well-known for their foundations than their skincare formulas but the brand are bringing a new range to high streets, salons and boutiques up and down the country.

Officially launching in the UK next month (though an introductory kit went live on QVC last Sunday), I had the pleasure of sneaking a peek at the new BareMinerals Skincare range yesterday afternoon…

BareMinerals Deep Cleansing Foam 119g – £15.00

Our new, luxuriously rich cleanser deep cleans pores and lifts away impurities.  Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, this non-drying formula bursts into a rich lather when activated with water to clean and instantly refresh skin for a soft, smooth complexion.

BareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser 177ml – £15.00

In our underground U.S. prelaunch of this product, customers called this a super cleanser and gave it stellar reviews.  Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, it removes makeup, dissolves impurities and rebalances skin for a soft, smooth complexion.  Skin is left perfectly clean, instantly hydrated and renewed.  It’s also gentle enough for eye makeup removal.

BareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer 50ml – £27.00 (for combination skin )

This moisturiser effectively hydrates skin while improving firmness, elasticity, radiance and overall skin texture.  Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex with its unique electrolyte delivery system, it’s formulated to perfectly moisturise combination skin.

BareMinerals Purely Nourishing Cream 50ml – £27.00 (for dry skin)

Specially formulated for dry skin, our new luxuriously rich cream deeply nurtures skin.  Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex with its unique electrolyte delivery system, it’s formulated to provide the ultimate amount of moisture for dry skin.  The result is soft, smooth and incredibly luminous skin.

BareMinerals Firming Eye Treatment 15ml – £23.00

This dramatically effective treatment helps to restore firmness and reduces puffiness around the eyes.  Powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, this formula delivers smoother, younger-looking skin around the eye area.

BareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment 4.2g – £45.00

This breakthrough night-time treatment is powered by our RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex to replenish skin for smoother, brighter, more even skin tone with improved texture.  Proven to visibly reduce pores, increase firmness and improve elasticity, this multi-tasing product reveals remarkably healthier-looking skin.

Available in four tones – clear, light, medium and tan – to instantly diffuse imperfections.

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Now a little rant about the marketing for this new range.  About this RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex…

The press info states:

We know what you’re thinking… soil?

Yes, that’s pretty much *exactly* what I’m thinking.  Well, that and “biffidus boffidus digestivum”.

The proprietry complex in our skincare line is extracted from effective, mineral-abundant soil containing a comprehensive blend of beneficial macro and micro minerals that exist in nature.  When extracted through a unique method, these minerals yield a densely rich, efficacious concentrate capable of transformational skin-renewing benefits.

“Unique method”, “Proprietry complex” – the whole blurb makes me desperate to read between the lines and actually UNDERSTAND what the hell it is.

The vague information encourages almost mystical connotations, talking about infusions of energy and how the soil is powerful. I understand that the marketing of this particular ‘rare’ mineral is hyped because the ‘ingredient’ is exclusive to the Bare Escentuals brand but blimey, please just explain HOW it benefits skin so amazingly?

Thank god I uncovered this video before I burst a blood vessel:

It’s high in antioxidants.  Now, as a consumer, I understand (and appreciate) that snippet of information FAR more than being told that it’s a densely rich, efficacious concentrate capable of transformational skin-renewing benefits. Or maybe that’s just me.

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Now, back to the products – did you notice the BareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment?

I’m massively excited to trial it.  In the simplest terms, it looks like a mineral foundation that you wear in bed.  Makeup… in bed.  I’m half horrified and half delighted!  It’s supposed to make you look ah-maze whilst giving you visibly-reduced pores, increasing firmness and improving elasticity.

Frankly, I’m just squealing about not scaring the bedbugs away.

There’s a fine line between gimmick and revolution and I’m looking forward to finding out on which side of that line this product belongs.

Mineral makeup tends to attract followers of great dedication.  Some people are almost evangelical in their adoration for their swirl, tap, buff methods that they leave my head spinning.  I do count myself as a fan of most mineral foundations, I find them quick and easy whilst leaving behind pretty good skin!

My biggest issue with them would be lasting power (or lack of!)… especially in the Summer and particularly on my nose!

Enter Bare Minerals‘ new Prime Time Brightening Foundation Primer*.  They already have a ‘normal’ primer on the market, this is the new one that promises to deliver an “extraordinarily luminous, healthy-looking glow” to our skins.

It’s a very peachy-looking primer… I was expecting to see the usual, white or cloudy viscose liquid dispense from the pump.  Instead, it’s creamy, sparkly and a little on the orange side!  Eek!

So how does it fare?

Well, the colour blends away into my skintone and doesn’t leave a trace behind… it has a slight silicone slip though not as much as primers like the Smashbox one.

When I buff the foundation into my skin, I can definitely feel a difference in the application… it’s smoother and seems to give a little more glide to the buffing action.  I’d even go so far as to say that I get a better finish than without the primer.

But longevity?  Nuh Uh… I’m not noticing a discernible difference.  Not only that… but the “luminous, healthy-looking glow”?  Well… that’s just a bit of sparkle.  All over mah face.

Look.

See the gold flecks?  They sure are pretty!  But they make me wanna break into Saturday Night Fever.  They’re discoball… albeit subtle discoball once spread out over the face.

In any luminizer, I prefer subtle sheen over glittery particles.  It’s not that the effect isn’t pretty… it is.  It’s just too much for daywear, for me at least.

Little primer. we can’t stay together, I’m sorry.  It’s not you… it’s me.

Bare Minerals Prime Time Brightening Primer is available from this month at Bare Escentuals Boutiques, department stores and selected spas/salons nationwide priced at £19.00.

*Press Sample

If you’re familiar with pigments, then you’re probably familiar with the concept of foiling them.  If not… it goes something like this…

You wet your brush by spraying it with your toner/water/fixer of choice before dipping it in the loose pigment and patting onto your eyelid.  It gives a high shine, high metallic effect that’s vibrant and striking.

Bare Minerals have introduced a new range of eye colours that they’re calling High Shine EyeColor.  The simple premise of this new line is a high-intensity metallic colour without the need for foiling.  The foiled effect but with dry pigments.

I was sent a few shades from the new line up to put to the test and I have mixed feelings on them.

Undoubtedly beautiful, they’re also incredibly portable in their well-sealed vials.  Packed with metallic goodness, they’re an enticing product.

From left to right, the above image shows the shades: Bronzed (bronze), Frost (silver), Glisten (pale gold) and Patina (khaki gold).

Purdy aren’t they?

But these aren’t just pigments in a jar a la MAC or the regular Bare Minerals offerings because they come with an inbuilt sponge applicator and delivery system.  This is where the product loses points for me.

The sponge applicator is mounted on a spring mechanism which is frankly pretty fierce.  You need to be prepared to work against it to stop it from “springing” up and dumping product in your lap.  It’s not a huge issue aslong as you’re aware of it… but I can imagine it might catch a few people unaware.

Secondly, there’s fall out as you remove the applicator from the neck of the vial.  It’s avoidable only if you’re incredibly careful and precise.  A bit like one of those fairground games that buzz if you touch the metal wire with the hoop!

Part of me feels that this is to be expected and that I’m being a touch harsh.  Afterall, these are loose pigments and no one ever said that working with them wasn’t messy.  However, I feel that if you’re going to go to the trouble of implementing an application system… it needs to do a better job than one could do without it.  I simply don’t feel that this system makes a messy job any easier.

But check out how these babies look…

Swatched on bare skin, they’re quite something.  How perfect are they for the Holiday season?

Back to the application for a minute… as with most loose eyeshadows, you’ll be wanting to do your eyes before attempting foundation.  There’s fall out from the sponge tip onto the uppper cheekbone whenever I apply.  Not a huge amount but enough to irritate and provoke much tsking!

If you can get past the inconveniences of working with loose pigment… this is how they look worn.

Excuse my Burglar Bill t-shirt.  Instead, check out the intensity of that pigment.  Infact, if anything… they’re a touch washed out by the camera flash.  I didn’t wear any primer underneath and the colour lasted amazingly well.  Easily 6/7 hours before fading… I think probably because they are SO intense to begin with.

So there we have it.  I love them but they’re not flawless.  Their intensity is electrifying and wear equally impressive.  They’re just a bit of a pain in the bum to apply.

Bare Minerals High Shine EyeColor is available in 6 shades.  You’ll be able to find them at all Bare Escentuals boutiques, selected department stores and spas and salons nationwide from December.  Priced at £14 each.

Are you happy to sacrifice convenience for the end result?

I won’t be parted from my brushes.  It doesn’t matter if I’m only leaving home for a single night, I can’t make do with powder puffs and spongey applicators now that I’m used to brushes.

Which can be a bit of a problem when I’m travelling to far flung exotic lands (Bournemouth, London, Darlo).

I took one of my MAC 217s away with me the last time I travelled to London and damn near killed the poor thing.  Flapping about in my makeup bag, it returned home looking like Leila had painted the walls with it and it’s so far resisting my best efforts to coax it back into shape.

With this in mind, Bare Escentuals have released a set of brushes that I was sent to try…

A magnetic brush collection with carry case!  Great!  Another cosmetic ‘innovation’… can you see my eyes rolling?

Except… this is actually useful.  But does it work in practice?

I’ll shut up for a minute and let you see the brush collection properly…

Read the rest of this entry »

Due to be launched on QVC on the 10th July (that’s just a few days away!), Matte is the latest foundation to be released by mineral foundation pioneers Bare Escentuals.

Available in 15 shades to suit every skintone, I purchased my pot of Bare Escentuals Matte SPF15 (shade: Fair) in a blog sale a little while ago and have been putting it to good use in the warm weather we’ve recently been enjoying.

Just as finely milled as the original version, the foundation feels silky and light to the touch.  I’m starting to realise there’s a bit of a love/hate vibe around mineral foundation.  I will happily swear by the coverage it gives and I rarely get a cakey finish when wearing it.  Infact, I’ve often (ok, twice) been asked what foundation I’m wearing when shopping on beauty counters and both times when I’ve replied with the answer ‘mineral’ – the look of shock from the SA’s has been in “kodak moment” territory.

As with the original Bare Escentuals SPF15 foundation, I’d call this medium coverage.  You *can* build, but that’s when you begin to run the risk of it looking more obvious, especially on dryer skin.  You can purchase fuller and more sheer mineral foundations, it all depends on the ratio of the minerals, but Bare Escentuals in my opinion, offers straight down the line medium coverage.

An irritation with mineral anything, is packaging and portability.  In the past, Bare Escentuals foundations have been fine sitting on your dressing table… but take it anywhere without sellotaping up the holes in the sifter?  BIG MESS!  The new Bare Escentuals Matte foundation offers a very simple solution that quite frankly, should have been implemented years ago…

A little rotating lid like you’d find on your pepper pots covers the holes in the sifter and stops excess product leaking during transportation.  I told you it was simple!

Application is the same for the new Bare Escentuals Matte foundation as it is for the original.  Swirl, Tap, Buff!

Mineral still affords me the quickest and most forgiving of foundation applications.  I have a few great brushes for application: My Body Shop kabuki, my MAC Flat Top 180 or my Bare Escentuals Full Flawless Face Brush.  They all work equally well to provide an even finish, though flat top brushes tend to give a fuller coverage.

I’ve talked about application, packaging and my experiences with mineral foundation in general… let me tell you how I find the new Matte version in comparison to the Bare Escentuals original formula.

On initial application, it is indeed a completely matte finish (thanks to additional oil-absorbing minerals)… it wipes out all traces of shine and oil from my skin, leaving a wonderfully even surface.  The original leaves me with a touch of…. not sparkle, that’s comletely the wrong word.  Natural luminosity?  I would say that if you have more mature skin, you may prefer the more forgiving finish of the original formula.  If your skin is younger and more prone to oil… the Matte formula is something you should definitely try.  Alternatively, something I’ve had success with is wearing my original formula lightly all over before buffing a little Matte into my T-Zone.

I’ll share a little tip that SJ (Bare Escentuals National MUA) told me when I was introduced to the new foundation.  If, in the middle of the day… you think you need a little foundation touch up, grab a brush and simply buff your face with it (no product).  It re-distributes the minerals that are already on your face from the initial application and simply recharges your foundation.  It totally works and is something that I’ve always done with minerals anyway… but it seemed funny to hear a proper MUA confirm something that I do without any thought as to why or how it works.  Silly anecdote, but a tip is a tip!

Here’s a before/after application with the new Matte foundation (no concealer):

Longevity?  Well… that’s my other bugbear with mineral foundations.  It’s a shame that I have to take a brush and buff my face in the middle of the day… but I do.  Bare Escentuals Matte foundation is no different and generally lasts about 5 hours on me before I need a pitstop to the Ladies with my brush in hand to ‘redistribute’ the powder.  Then, I probably get another 3/4 hours out of that before I wanna apply more product.

The nature of the product however, means that it doesn’t matter if I apply a bit more over the top of the rest of my makeup.  It has no ill-effect at all and now that Bare Escentuals has made it portable… well, it’s just not much of an issue for me anymore.  Worth mentioning though.

Overall, it’s not an improvement on the Bare Escentuals Original foundation (bar the new sifter)… but it does sit very nicely alongside, offering an additional choice which may or may not be for you depending on your skin type.

Bare Escentuals Matte SPF15 Foundation will launch on 10th July exclusively on QVC priced at £19.50.

Are you a mineral foundation lover?

Mooching around Covent Garden last week (as you do!) I stumbled across the Bare Escentuals boutique (the only one of it’s kind in the UK) and practically squealed at it’s boutiquey cuteness and revolving tester tables!  I wish I had a picture to show you… but if you ever find yourself at a loose end whilst down Neal Street, check it out… I could have spent many, many hours in there swatching all the pretty shadows.  Truly surrounded by pigment…. a swatchers paradise.

It also helped that the MUAs in there were completely approachable and at one point swatching with me and rediscovering shades they liked and disliked themselves in an attempt to find a potential alernative for an OOS shade I wanted to pick up.

Anyway, I was looking for a more summery lid colour… but as a neutral-loving fiend I wanted to be able to combine it with my boring beloved array of taupes and mauves in my collection.

I discovered this…

Bare Escentuals Heart is a wonderfully blended concoction or rose/mauve/pink/bronze… it’s dusky without being flat and colourful whilst still remaining neutral.

Being a ‘glimmer’ it’s pretty darn sparkly but despite this, still works surprisingly well as a crease colour.  I do love these minerals for their blendability and this is no exception.  At £13 for a small pot, they’re not cheap… but a little really goes a very long way.  I barely have to touch my brush to the sifter to pick up enough colour for both eyes.

I also fell in love with two other shades whilst browsing… Queen Phyllis makes the most beautiful highlight and Grace is simply one of the most beautfiful minerals I’ve ever swatched… I was proper “woahhhh… that’s purdy” whilst playing with the testers… so I was gutted to discover that Grace was out of stock when I tried to buy it!

Have you checked out the Bare Escentuals boutique?  What are your favourite BE shades?

I received this at a press day in the Medium shade which was too dark for me, but a willing guest reviewer came to my rescue!  She’s tried it… and here’s what she has to say about it!

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I’d like to thank Charlotte for allowing me to be her first guest reviewer!  I hope the experience doesn’t scar her for life, and I hope some of you will find this review helpful.

This is my first experience with the Bare Escentuals bareMinerals range.  They have an excellent track record judging by other reviews, so I was excited to get my hands on this product and try it for myself.

What it claims

The literature that accompanies the product states that the natural mineral sunscreen provides the ultimate sun protection without the heavy, greasy finish.  The micronised Titanium Dioxide mineral instantly shields against UVA/AVB rays to help prevent premature skin ageing and sun damage, is weightless, breathable, non-greasy and won’t clog pores.  It contains vitamins, Aloe Vera extract and antioxidants to promote healthier-looking skin.  It increases sun protection when used under or over your bareMinerals SPF15 foundation.

Presentation

The bottom of the bottle is clear to indicate the colour of the product, and in this case I am using the medium skin tones.  There is 4g/0.14 oz of product.

The ingredients list (for those who can make sense of it!): Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Aloe Barbedensis Leaf Extract, Lycium Chinensis (Lycii Berry) Extract, Ranunculus Ficaria Root Extract, Silica.  Iron oxides, Ultramarines, Bismuth Oxychloride.

The orange and white bottle has a pop-off lid which exposes the brush in the top of the bottle.  The bottom of the bottle is turned to extend the brush, and clicks locked ready for use.  To start the flow of the product, invert the bottle and tap downwards onto your skin until the powder appears.  Then, in a circular motion, you buff the product lightly into your skin.  To close, you turn the bottom of the bottle, the brush retreats back into the bottle and it clicks locked.

So what do I think of it?

I must point out at this stage that my skin is in no flush of early youth.  I will be hitting the big four-oh this year and I am dreading it.  My skin has been well used and has what I like to describe as having all the signs of enjoying a full and happy life.  Having lived in South Africa for 20 years and perhaps not being as religious as I should have been with sunscreen in my teens, I have pigmentation marks that I now regret not preventing and am now kicking myself about. My skin tone is an NC25/30 depending on how much sun exposure I’ve had.

I have a combination skin type, very oily T zone and parchment dry cheek areas.  I’ve had various expeditions into the mineral foundation world, some a lot more successful than others.  My main complaint is that some mineral foundations oxidise on my T zone, leaving an appealing orangey caked effect, whilst my poor cheeks are left looking like powdered parchment, regardless of how much moisturiser I applied beforehand.

The brush extending and retracting back into the bottle is a good idea as the bristles are kept neat and are less likely to splay.  The brush is very soft and kind on the skin, not scratchy at all which is a definite requirement if it’s going anywhere near the sensitive eye area.  It’s a good size too, I thought it would be a lot smaller.  The product didn’t need a lot of encouragement to start the flow, but certainly didn’t flood all over the place either.

The powder itself is pleasantly soft and silky, very finely milled and not at all chalky.  I applied it to my cleansed, toned and moisturised face (after allowing enough time for the moisturiser to soak in completely), using a circular buffing motion.

I felt that my pigmentation marks were a lot less noticeable, and that my skin tone was evened out and looked smoother without being chalky.  I asked Dear Husband what his thoughts were, and he said my skin certainly looked a lot softer and smoother compared to without any product.  The powder didn’t settle into the industrial strength concealer I need to cover my dark under eye circles, and my cheeks didn’t look powdery either.  A good result so far.

I applied my usual mineral foundation on top  to see how it would cope and whether I would look like an explosion in a powder factory, but I only needed to apply a light dusting as the bareMinerals had already done quite a good job by itself.  I would be quite happy to use it on its own to be honest.

As your neck and upper chest area has as much exposure to sun damage as your face, this product can be used all over these areas to offer the same level of protection.

During the day, my T zone had started reminding me that it was indeed my cross to bear in life, but I wasn’t left with any orangey slippage.  Touching up during the day was an easy process because the brush and product were all in one and didn’t take up too much space in my make-up bag.

I think this is an ideal holiday product as it is essentially a foundation and SPF30 all in one.  When I go on holiday, I don’t take a liquid foundation as I want something light which lets my skin breathe,  but I do worry that my mineral foundation might not be enough to protect my skin.  Many facial sunscreens are greasy and cause breakouts around my chin, but as this is a powder product I felt for me it was the ideal solution.

At the price (£25) it would be quite a layout for me and would be considerably more than I would usually pay, but is probably worthwhile as your skin has to last you a lifetime and is worth the expense.

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Thanks so much to Ali for guest reviewing for me!  I think she did a fab job (and I’m hugely jealous of her flippin’ perfect teeth and smile!) – More opportunities for guest reviews coming up soon.

I talked this morning (briefly) about Guava shades… I love ’em and there ain’t enough of them about.  It’s a fabulous shade for a whole variety of skintones and is about as close to coral as I can get before I hit ORANGE!

It reminded me that I hadn’t shown you 2 of my favourite blushers for Summer yet!

These are Bare Escentuals mineral blushes in shades: Promise (guava pink) and Giddy Pink (um pink, pink).

10 points for correctly guessing my nail colour by the way…

Check out the ingredients… hooray for minerals, Boo for Bismuth Oxychloride (replace the damn component with something less irritating to sensitive skins already…)

Both blushes are fairly sheer and build up beautifully.  I tend to use duo fibre brushes to apply most blushers because it just means I never screw it up and walk out the door looking like Bozo.  It takes about 3 sweeps to build up to a natural looking colour with these products.

Promise… see?  Guava.

This is a gorgeous, gorgeous blush.  It’s a matte colour base which has then been liberally sprinkled with golden sparkles, the shade stops short of coral and is simply a stunner for summer.  I had a hard time pinning this shade down… I think it’s discontinued now, but I found it on eBay (at a great price too!).

Giddy Pink is in the current line up of Bare Escentuals products and one that I received at a press day.  It’s a shimmery pink which gives that wonderful glowy illusion that catches the light when you turn your cheek.  It’s pink without being dolly pink… a natural flush.

The problem with all minerals like this?  They suck to travel with.  I can’t be arsed taping over the holes before going anywhere so always end up with about 95% of the product in the sifter by the time I’ve reached my destination.

Hmm… I wonder if they’re pressable… anyone ever tried?  I’m not sure I’m willing to be guinea pig, I love these too much to risk ruining them!

Promise looks matte in my swatch… there is sparkle in there, just no shimmer.  Both are swatched heavily to build up a true impression of the colour.

They last well on my skin and I’m positively addicted to them.  At least until the next addiction comes along right?

is…

AlicatAHL

Thanks for offering your self up in the name of beauty!

Please email me your address details and I’ll pop the sample in the post.  Can’t wait to hear your experiences with it!

Anyone up for doing a guest review for me?

I have been given a sample for review consideration but it’s too dark for me.

This is the bareMinerals SPF30 Natural Sunscreen.

They say:

Our breakthrough head-to-toe sun protection will change the way you feel about sunscreen forever.  This 100% natural, micronized Titanium Dioxide mineral creates a physical barrier on your skin, providing UVA/UVB protection and defending against premature skin ageing and sun damage.  It’s weightless, breathable, non-greasy and won’t clog pores or cause breakouts.  Available in Light, Medium and Tan.

Available from April 2010. RRP £25.00

I’m looking for someone with a medium skintone (NC/NW 25 – 35) please. UK only.  Oh, and it lists Bismuth Oxychloride in the ingredients, so don’t apply if you’re sensitive to that ingredient – don’t wanna be responsible for scabby, itchy faces now do I?

If you’re interested in being my guest reviewer, leave me a comment below and I’ll choose someone on Wednesday.

Thank You!