Don't call it a comeback I've been here for years I'm rocking my peers Puttin' suckers in fear

I needed a little break. I decided not to apologize for it, but just DO IT. So...I just did it. Now I think I am ready for some makeup + beauty product talk!

Coming Attractions:

• A REVIEW OF + TUTORIAL FEAT. A KAT VON D. EYESHADOW PALETTE
• FAVORITE PRODUCTS FOR DECEMBER
• FAVORITE HAIR PRODUCTS/WHAT I'M USING NOW
• BARE ESCENTUALS HOW-TO

I'm also working on compiling a list of recommended products that I think will make for a good "starter kit". I get a lot of questions from friends on what products they need for a go-to, everyday look. And how they can glam up that look for when the occasion calls! I also want to help others better better utilize the products they already have with the addition of a few tools. My recommendations will also include colors + finishes + application + brands.

ALSO, in the (not too distant) future I hope to organize some local workshops - sort of a Makeup 101: tips + tricks + application. For now I'll be starting with some friends...and we'll see how that goes! If you're a local friend who is interested please leave a comment or send me an email. Be patient with me...I'll get there!

Red Carpet by Rorschach

When I saw this picture of Heidi Klum at last night’s Emmy’s I got and old familiar feeling.

That feeling settled into a place of assurance when I realized what this image made me think of. Let’s just say that if you were to fold this photo in half while the ink was still wet this is what I would see…

The old Avon Bon Bon Poodle perfume decanter.

Oh Bon Bon. The thought of you takes me right back to Hardin County, Kentucky. To the days when the Avon Lady would come calling at Grandma's or Aunt Myra's house.

Now, before anybody tries to send me hate mail, yes I do know that Heidi Klum is pregnant. No, I am not trying to make any point about her body. Great day in the morning, I am a plus sized woman. I will say, and this may be tacky, right now the baby is in. But one day, it will be out.

Auf widersehen.

The day I had to MAKE myself shop for makeup.

I've had something weird going on in my mid-back lately. And after a visit to my chiropractor's office on Monday - where I had 30 minutes of myofacial release massage, an adjustment, 10 minutes of electric stim with heat, 10 minutes of the one table with the roller thingies that I cannot think of the name of...with ice. But the end of my work day I was so sore I just had to go home and skip my planned Sephora visit.

After work yesterday, even though I was feeling pretty tired and sore, I made myself head to Green Hills to hit Sephora and the MAC store. By then my skin was so thirsty for Hope In a Jar. I had to resort to using some Bare Minerals two shades two dark - my "tan" shade, Light - and blending it out my lightest shade of Laura Mercier concealer. This may have been the only time ever that I have had to force myself to go to Sephora.

I went to Sephora with a list of mineral foundations to consider.
* Philosophy’s The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas Makeup (.3 oz $35)
* Urban Decay’s Surreal Skin Mineral Makeup (0.30 oz, $29)
* Laura Geller’s Mineral Powder (.34 oz, $35)
*Bare Escentuals bareMinerals ORIGINAL SPF 15 Foundation (.3 oz, $25)

After some comparisons, some swatching the makeups on my hand and arm, and speaking with a Sephora employee the foundation I decided on....? Bare Escentuals. Yes, I decided to stick with the old tried and true.

I asked the girl as Sephora what she thought most customers thought about the non- Bare Escentuals mineral foundations. She said…
Basically nothing comes close to the popularity of Bare Escentials.
Most people who try the other mineral makeup come back to Bare Essentials.
Of the people who had an issue with Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals the issue they had was a look of shininess. But now that Bare Essentials has released Bare Minerals Matte foundation that issue has been scratched from the list.

I brought up the container and application while holding Philosophy’s Supernatural and explained I was thinking of trying that one or the Urban Decay. She offered that the reason Bare Essentials has not come out with that kind of container – with the sponge/puff applicator - is for sanitary reasons. And in that moment my eyes were opened and I made up my mind. I grabbed 2 ounces of Hope In a Jar, thanked her for helping me make my decision, and headed over to the Bare Escentuals section where I grabbed my jar of Bare Minerals in Fair and headed promptly to the checkout.

The only problem with that promptly part is that I forgot to sample the new (exclusive to Sephora) Kat Von D fragrances.

My total purchases for the night:

MAC Pro Store
Smolder Eye Kohl
Beurre Cremestick Liner
Oak Lip Pencil
Beautiful Iris Eye Shadow
Pearl Cream Color Base

SEPHORA
Fair Bare Minerals Foundation – Bare Escentual
Hope In a Jar – Philosophy
Daily Brush Cleaner – Sephora Brand

the riveters

On Sunday I was trying out a retro pin-up/Marilyn Monroe makeup look (winged liner, red lips). I also wanted to try a pin-up/Rosie the Riveter/Bandanna/50's Housewife hairstyle after watching a tutorial by Kandee the Makeup Artist. I pulled the whole look together and decided...I really like it! And I put on a little Rosie Jo the Riveter Show for my parents. ha.

Today my mom came across this picture of my grandmother rocking a similar look!!!

That's Grandma and my mom (and a dog who was probably named Lady...because that's what all of Mom's dogs were named...)at Aunt Myra's house in the early-mid 1950's.

mineral foundations

One thing you will learn about me is that I am a brand loyalist. If I find a brand that I trust I will not only give my money to that brand, but I become an evangelist of that brand.

Several years ago I kissed liquid foundations good-bye.

Some years back my best friend introduced me to Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals foundations. At that time they were mostly known in the QVC viewership circles. I tried it for awhile and liked it. I didn’t realize at the time that the reason I didn’t love it was because I was being too heavy handed with it. But then thought I would save some money by buying some drugstore foundations.

I am pretty loyal to the Neutrogena brand. Mostly I was using their oil-free foundations. Sometimes I’d mix it up and use L’Oreal.

This is a whole other story that will warrant its own telling. But for now I will just say that I was dealing with some pretty painful (emotionally and physically) cystic acne. Again…this is a whole, other long (very long) story.

Then the drug store brands started coming out with their own mineral makeups. I was pretty happy with Neutrogena’s. And began to see a little bit of a difference in my break-outs. I thought if this drugstore mineral foundation was helping my acne, then maybe a better quality brand would really help improve my acne. That’s when I began to do some research and realized that I wasn’t really saving ANY money buy purchasing Neutrogena’s mineral foundation. I might spend, say, $10 at Target. But I was getting less than half of what I would get from Bare Escentuals. With the Bare Minerals I was getting over DOUBLE the foundation for around $25!!!

So, I switched back to Bare Escentuals’ Bare Minerals. Saw some great improvement in my acne. Gave up some harsh acne treatments and switched up my skin care regimen. And my horrible, adult on-set, cystic acne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WENT. AWAY. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

I KNOW!

I wish I could say that EVERYONE will have this experience if you stop using liquid foundations – but I can’t say that with any guarantee. I just know that for me the switch was the trick that gave me back the clear skin of my teen years. Sure, I still get a few pimples every now and then. But it is NOTHING like the deep horrible, hard to cover, painful, icky feeling cystic acne that as torturing me.

Bare Escentuals, the original mineral foundation, has a great variety of color options and the shades and easily be blended to find the perfect complexion matching foundation shade. I am of a pretty fair complexion and always had difficulty in finding a liquid foundation that was fair enough to match my skin tone. But, depending on the time of year, I can wear THREE of Bare Escentuals three lightest shades. And often mix them together to get just the right shading and coverage.

My only complaint is that things can get messy if you’re in a hurry. And it does take some time to get the coverage right. But, you can spot cover and leave out the step of concealer, if you like.

I have been considering shaking things up a bit and trying another mineral foundation. I’m looking at Laura Geller’s Mineral Powder (.34 oz, $35), Philosophy’s The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas Makeup (.3 oz $35), or Urban Decay’s Surreal Skin Mineral Makeup (0.30 oz, $29). The latter, two because of the containers they come with that double as applicators.

I’m heading to Sephora tomorrow (for more Philosophy’s Hope In a Jar). And I’ll let you know what I decide, use the new foundation for awhile, and then do a review!

Thanks for visiting! And remember, no beauty product can match a smile, a cheerful disposition, and kindness!

Ask me how much I love Hope In a Jar

I opened this 0.5 oz container of Philosophy’s Hope In a Jar on Friday, August 21st. And I emptied it tonight, just three weeks later. I have to say, I L – O – V – E it! I love how it feels on my skin both under makeup and alone. I believe it has improved my skin's texture and appearance. Not to mention, and this is very important, it has not made me breakout! I’ve had a difficult time finding a moisturizer that actually does the job a moisturizer is supposed to do that doesn’t also make me breakout. I’m heading to Sephora or Cosmetic Market on Monday for more. This time a 2 oz. jar!