Seriously Underrated/Underhyped/Unknown Products (Part 1)

What's up, my Pretties?  I've been gone for a while, but am coming back, with hopefully newer and better ideas, reviews and recommendations.  Let's get to it.

There are so many products that have hit the airwaves that get so. much. hype.  And for good reason: the Naked palettes by Urban Decay were brilliant, Make Up Forever HD Foundation is lovely, Miss Dior Cherie and Coco Mademoiselle both smell incredible, so these products should get talked about.  But what about those amazing, totally under the radar, have to be looking so hard you almost miss 'em products?  I've got quite a few that I've been hoarding the past few months, (years for a few), and I think it's time someone started talking about them, so I think I may turn this into a series, and talk about one or two products in more detail in a post, let's see how it works out.

1. The first product I'm going to mention is a relatively new one to me.  I discovered it by total chance this summer while purchasing other products at Sephora.  The cashier dropped a couple samples into my bag as she handed it to me.  I got home and actually almost threw away all the samples she threw in, but caught myself just in time.  While going through them, one in particular caught my eye: Sarah McNamara's Miracle Skin Transformer 5-in-1 Face Broad Spectrum SPF 20.  The five things it claims to do are: mattify, prime, protect, hydrate and enhance.  I decided on a whim to try one of these little buggers, because anything that claims to do that much has my attention.  I was blown away the first time I tried it.  You can get this at Sephora and I think Costco (definitely more cost-effective option).  Anyway, on to the product.  This has one major drawback-it is only available in six shades, one of which is translucent, (deposits no color on the skin).  So there is definitely a limited number of options.  I've also heard that it oxidizes in some of the darker shades but haven't experienced any weird oxidation myself.  Let me just say though, the effect that this gives skin is incredible.  You can use it as a primer under your make up, you can use it alone as a tinted moisturizer/primer, you can use it on top of your make up, it looks damn near flawless any way you swing it.

I am not wearing any other make up in this photo.  This was taken in natural light.

So, yeah, long story short: try this brand.  They make several formulas: there's one for acne, they have a body version, they have an eye formula, and they have an impressive line of skin care, to boot.  I haven't heard anyone talk about this brand, which makes me sad.

2. Alright, moving on.  The next underrated product is sort of an interesting one, because the brand is very well known, but not for the kind of product this one is.  Laura Mercier, let's just say it: her foundations, primers and tinted moisturizers are ah-mazing but I feel like that's the only type of product you hear about with her brand.  Not that that's a bad thing, but people, we are missing out!  I just picked up her new palette, which is limited edition for the holidays, the Artist's Palette for Eyes.  Such a gorgeous selection of warmer toned pinks, plums and browns.  It's like the Naked palette, but more concentrated.  It's got 12 shadows, 6 matte, 6 shimmer, and they all fall into the ivory to peachy pink, to plummy purples and warm brown families.  Such an awesome mix, and the number of looks you could pull off is just unreal.  

Gorgeous, right?

Okay, you see what I'm talking about here.  But let's talk about the real important thing: formulation.  These shadows are buttery smooth.  They are so unbelievably pigmented and so soft.  I haven't noticed any fallout- can we repeat that? None.  I'm particularly loving the third shadow in on the left hand side, African Violet.  It's this stunning lavender-plum-with gold flecks blended so seamlessly in it just glows.  The pigmentation on these is to die for.  This palette would look great on any eye color, but hazel/green/blue eyes are really going to glow with these.  I never hear anyone talk about Laura Mercier eye shadows, and I don't know why.  Maybe her single shadows aren't this caliber, I can honestly say I've never tried any until now, but I am so glad I picked this palette up.

I feel like this has been a lengthy, long winded post, so I'll end here, but I will definitely be back soon with a couple more seriously underhyped products.

Stay lovely, lovelies!

Skin Care...Skin Care...Skin Care!!!

So, my biggest beauty issue is by FAR skin care. Until college, I had pretty good skin, but it is arguable that I had an awesome skin care routine through middle and high school and this may have had something to do with that. (Thank you, Neutrogena for discontinuing the overnight acne spot treatment that I LOVED!!) Ever since college started four years ago, I have been searching and searching for a decent skin care routine. Last fall I discovered Dr. Murad's Acne treatment line and sort of liked it, but I still had bumps and blackheads. Mostly I loved the face wash, which I have re-purchased a few times since, it makes my skin feel so soft and leaves it really clean. The only other really worthwhile product in the line is the clarifying mask. So great for deep cleaning. It says to use it only once a week but I've used it a few times a week on several occasions and it doesn't over-dry my skin or make me break out when I do. Other than those two, the other products I've tried from this particular line didn't really help my skin. As we know, the Juice Beauty products I've used I didn't like too much. Although the facial cleansing gel was quite nice, as was the oil-free moisturizer. I don't know if I would re-purchase either though.

Right now, I'm experimenting with some Ole Henrickson skin products as well as some old tried and true "old faithfuls". On a recent Sephora excursion, I picked up the Roll-On Blemish Attack and the Blemish Attack Daily Defense Gel. The roll-on liquid has benzoyl peroxide in it, I believe it is a 5.0% solution and the daily defense gel has a 1.5% salicylic acid solution. So far, I'm liking them, I think, I've only had them since Saturday. My "old faithfuls" are the Dr. Murad acne face wash and clarifying mask and my Aveeno Clear Complexion moisturizer, which has salicylic acid in it to help treat break outs.

I'm really wanting to try the Ole Henrickson Aloe Vera deep cleanser and some of the other products from his oily skin care line. I just want to see if these acne treatments I bought work, sort of seeing if the line is really worth the money I dished out for it. I really like how it's packaged in glass rather than plastic for most of the products. I also really want to try the Clinique Acne Solutions skin care regimen. I always hear great things about Clinique for skin care but I've never really tried any of it. Perhaps this will be a good opportunity to do so. I suppose I need to use up the skin care stuff I've just recently bought. No need to waste.

Anyone have anything they would recommend for oily-acne prone skin??

I've heard that changing up your skin care products too often can contribute to break outs because you don't give your skin enough time to get used to the product, but if it's making you break out at all, isn't that a bad thing? I'm always looking for that magic combination. I do sort of think that in some cases less is more, and I sometimes go back to the Neutrogena Oil Free Face wash but, without the overnight spot treatment it just isn't the same. (although, nothing gets my skin quite as squeaky clean.) I will never understand why they discontinued that! It seriously got rid of pimples over night!!! Basically, I am always searching for the perfect combination of skin care products that will leave my skin clear and glowy. Is that too much to ask? I feel like it might be like searching for the holy grail. My friends all have things that work for them, so why can't I find something that continues to work for me? I'm going to keep searching.

Sephora and (mini) Benefit Haul

So I know my last blog was about a Sephora Haul, but I went again and cashed in Major! I bought a bunch of make up, both necessities and fun things, and a new skin care regimen.

I guess I should start with the serious stuff, the skin care and such, so here goes. I happened to go on a day when Juice Beauty was doing a sort of promotional event for their skin care line. Juice Beauty is a totally organic company that does a few different skin care regimens. I bought the 30-day trial kit for acne prone skin. It came with a bottle of the Cleansing Gel, Blemish Clearing Solution, Oil-Free Moisturizer, and a small tub of their Green Apple Peel for Sensitive Skin. So far I've used everything but the Green Apple Peel, and I've seen a difference in my skin. I think at first it started pulling deep-seated bacteria to the surface so I broke out a little bit, but then it really started to get rid of the acne. I have to admit, at night, I still use my Neutrogena On The Spot Acne Treatment cream with salicylic acid on major problem areas. Overall though, I'm pretty pleased with the whole skin care regime. Juice Beauty also makes skin care regimens for aging skin, redness, sensitive skin, etc.

On to the more fun stuff.

I bought some really cool stuff that so far I am absolutely loving. I bought a few concealers: Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer in Fair (Ultra Light) and Make Up Forever Professional 5 Camouflage Cream Palette in No. 1. I love the Amazing Concealer because it's super opaque (I'm going to try using it on my tattoos to see if it will conceal them), and the Make Up Forever palette is great because you can mix your perfect shade. Then I continued my new obsession with Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascaras and bought the original black one and another colored mascara in Indigo, which is a gorgeous true violet-y color. I also got another Urban Decay 24/6 Glide On eye liner pencil in Mildew, which is stunning. I bought a Kat Von D lipstick in Hellbent, which is a true red and a NARS lip liner in Jungle Red to go with it. Finally, I bought a Sephora brand liquid glitter eyeliner in Turquoise, which looks so fun and I can't wait to use when I'm going out soon. In the not-so-exciting category, I bought two brushes, both of which are Sephora brand: an angled foundation brush and a lip brush. Good buys, so far.

At Benefit I got two really great eye shadows and a beautiful lipstick. The two eye shadows are fairly new, Mermaid and Fancy Pansy. Mermaid is a beautiful blue-green-aqua color shot through with some gold shimmer. It goes on sheer but is definitely buildable so you can make it much more intense if you'd like. It looks great with my Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara in Flipside. Fancy Pansy is a violet color with a shimmery-blue sheen to it. It's really pretty as an eyeliner or accent. You can use water to make it more intense (and last longer) as an eyeliner. Then I bought one of their sheer finish lipsticks in My Treat, which is sort of a true pink-magenta-y color. It's pretty flattering on most colorings, I know it looks great on me and my friend Allie and I have dark brown hair and fair skin and she's blonde and tan.

So, that's all for now, I'm sure I'll have more to update soon. Have a great week and stay beautiful!