Black Sweet: May 2009

Laura Mercier Flawless Face Kit

Recently, I was hunting for some summer makeup. In all honesty, I am a mineral foundation girl, but in the summer, I can't wear my Bare Escentuals because it contains bismuth and I am one of the unlucky ladies who itch in humidity when wearing it. I wanted something easy, with a little coverage that didn't feel too heavy. After trying on several brands, I opted for the Laura Mercier Flawless Face Kit. For the right price, it comes packed with a tinted moisturizer, 2 concealers, a powder, a primer, a puff, a sponge and 2 brushes- all in a little bag. As I mentioned before, I was having concealer issues and thought after playing with it in the store, it might be the right one for me. After wearing it for several weeks, here are my thoughts.

I love the brushes and tools this kit comes with. They alone are probably worth the price of admission. The powder is top notch, but comes in a pot that is so small, I am perplexed how to easily use it, without shaking some on to the puff or using the medium sized flat brush it comes with. When used with the concealer, the brush and powder combo are wonderful together. But just shaking some powder onto the puff for a full face application seemed really wasteful. The tinted moisturizer is really nice for weekends or days when you don't need any real coverage.

When I first put this on, I LOVED how my skin looked. Dewey and fresh, I was a happy camper. However, I did notice that my makeup slid off rather quickly when I wore the tinted moisturizer, which is a bummer, since I took the time to apply it. If I just needed to run out quickly and wanted a little polish, then this is perfect. But when I applied blush and the rest of my face, it had no staying power. I also wasn't thrilled with the primer. Perhaps I prefer the more silicone/satin feel of primers like Prime Time. But even when I used the primer with the tinted moisturizer together, my face still slid south super fast.

For a quick, vacation no-mess face, this kit might be right for you. If you need more coverage then this might not be the best option.

I'm ehh on this item. I bought it. You should test it first. (unless you need the tools and the concealer, then it's a steal.)

Benefit Coralista Blush

It is officially summer and one thing you can't live without is Benefit's Coralista blush. First, it is the most beautiful and universally flattering pinky-coral color. It comes with a cute little brush and even smells divine. Normally cosmetics that are scented really bug me (why bother with a fragrance, I ask you?) but not this one. The color just screams summer, without being fussy or too made up. By itself, it has a semi-matte finish, but paired with a highlighter or some Bare Escentuals Flawless Radiance, it really comes alive. It's a little pricey IMHO at $28, but it will last forever and looks amazing! My pal, Erin Chado, suggested this for me and I couldn't get over how much it made my cheeks pop. I am in love!

I love it. I bought it. You need it.

Pop Beauty: Cat Eyes Liner

I was in Ulta the other day and stumbled upon a little company I was not particularly familiar with, POP Beauty. POP proclaims they are " a make-up brand that encapsulates all that makes London “Swing”, Cool Britannia indeed! Innovative and inspiring, POP is a brand that is renowned show-stopping results. Silky, long lasting, uber flattering textures in punchy, punky must have shades." Apparently they are known for their Neon Lid colors, which may be a little much for me personally.

But for summer, they might be fun and those blues and greens might be right up my alley. However, what really caught my attention were two products. One is a lip primer that I'll discuss later. The other is their eye liner, Cat Eyes.

What makes this liner different is the shape of the pencil. Normally, a liner is rounded, like a pencil. This is actually rectangular, in an attempt to help you do a really nice cat eye.

I realize the chance of me rocking a Star Trek cat eye at work or while volunteering for Karma Dogs isn't likely. But a tamed down little kitten eye, now that would be nice. After a few tries, I think I got the hang of it. You have a few options:

Option One: You can line your eye using the long side of the pencil. This makes a thin line and a little flip of the fingertips at the corner will make a nice kitten eye. What is nifty about this is that the size of the line is uniform all the way across and it's rectangular, not round, which is kinda cool.

Option Two: Start slightly out from the outer corner of your eye (where you want the cat eye to end) and hold the pencil so you get a really wide line. Draw from where you want the line to end to the middle of your eye, above your iris, for a really dramatic look.

I got this liner in Black Dahlia, which is a lighter black mixed with plum. I love this color for blue eyes. After a few days of trying this out, I am happy to report that it stays put all day!

I love this. I bought this. You should check it out!

Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews

Benefit's Erase Paste & Powderflage

I am very pale and have a little bit of darkness under my eyes, not too bad, but it bugs me. I also have very dry skin, so I was having a hard time finding the right concealer to make my eyes look flawless. You know what I mean. Magazine perfect eyes. Since I work in advertising, I know that real people don't achieve this in their daily lives. You need serious lights and the right angle to get that flawless look. Ads lie and some part of me understands this, but I just can't get that image out of my mind.

Makeup artist pal, Erin Chado, convinced me to give Benefit a try. I haven't tried a lot of Benefit- their cutesy names turn me off a little. But if the product delivers, than I won't let a little cutesy stop me. Erin insisted I try their Erase Paste in combo with Powderflage. Erase Paste is a thick-ish concealer that needs to be warmed up and dabbed on. Powderflage is a white-ish, pinky powder that you apply with a fan brush (which it comes with). Honestly, I don't care for the brush - it's a little too ouchy to use. But with my Sonia Kashuk dome brush, it's just lovely. The end result? Pretty close to magazine perfect eyes.

I love these. I bought these. You should try these.

Recession Friendly Beauty: New! Sephora Nano Lip Liners

I have decided I need to expand my horizons from pinky brown colored liners to include some peaches on my lips. I have a few glosses that I am loving for the summer, but couldn't find the right liner to go with them. I didn't want something that is matte or dry or that would smear off in a matter of lip smacks, either.

How pleased was I to discover that Sephora now has these adorable half size liners called Sephora Brand Nano Liners? They come in 20 different shades and feel luxe, thanks to the shea butter and jojoba oil infused pigments. The best part? It lasts longer than most "softer" liners I have tried. Plus, Cool Coral is perfect under my Clinique Maxi-Melon gloss and MAC's Utterly Posh Dazzleglass. For $5 each, I am trying to restrain myself from going back for many, many more.

Love it. Bought it. You should check it out.

About Face Cosmetics- Miss Julia The Mermaid Color Collection

I love a colorful eye. Especially for the summer, color is in and figuring out how to realistically wear all of the brights can be tricky. But it is totally do-able, if you have a little help. That's why so I was excited to see Heather Hanson, the brilliant beauty behind About Face Cosmetics, put together several "looks" in the newly added color gallery on her website.

Miss Julia The Mermaid is one of my faves. Heather provides step-by-step instructions and pics to help you rock this look all on your own. And for $22, you get all six colors you need to become your own siren of the sea. The best part? Shipping is under $4! The colors look crazy, but don't be afraid. Embrace your inner mermaid!

I love this. I bought this. You need this.

If You Only See One Movie This Summer, See

I was lucky enough to catch a sneak peek at the new Disney/Pixar movie Up earlier this week. Since I don't have kids, I don't pay attention to animated movies. Call me crazy, but I never think they are talking to me, so I don't listen. However, my movie-obsessed hubby was looking forward to it, so when the opportunity came Up, I couldn't refuse.

From the second the Disney logo pops on, this movie was a visual stunner. Up is the first Disney Digital 3-D movie made by Pixar. And since I missed The Jonas Brothers, The 3D Concert Experience, I had no clue it could look like this. Did I mention it looked good? WOW. The 3D is used in a way that is natural and beautiful, not in a cheap-shrapnel-is-coming-at-your-face-right-now kind of way. WOW. I was totally lost in this world in the first five minutes.

Up is the story of a man who needs a change and, unhappy with his current situation, goes for it. He is joined by a young boy, a Weeblo of sorts, who just wants to help. Along with a goofball named Kevin and a dog named Doug, they have quite an adventure. Side note: Those who live in Baltimore (or watched The Wire) will understand why a dog named Doug makes me laugh every time.

I double dog dare you not to get caught up in this emotional and amazing journey. No, wait, I triple dog dare you! Up opens across the country in theaters this Friday, May 29th. Drop what you are doing and go see it.

I loved it. I can't wait to see it again.

Another Beauty Blog?

Hey there! My name is Kelly Gould and I am obsessed with beauty products (and a few other things). I have been a television producer, a jewelry designer, a makeup artist in a salon and for print and television. I spend a lot of time checking out new products and advising my friends. Since I'm very opinionated and, quite honestly, tired of sending my friends my thoughts in e-mails, I decided to post them here. Before I tell you what I really think, here are some things you should know about me.

1. I am a producer who makes television commercials for a living.

2. I love to play with color and texture where it concerns hair and makeup. A lot. In fact, my look changes almost daily.

3. I like to know that the products I use actually do what they claim. One of my hobbies is researching how the chemistry behind the beauty works.

4. I watch way too much tv.

5. When I am not working, watching tv, playing with makeup or looking for a new hairstyle, I founded a non-profit called Karma Dogs. We help rescued dogs become therapy dogs who help kids with different needs. What goes around, comes around. See how that works?

Thanks for checking out my blog. Subscribe and come back often!

The Cat Serial Killer... is finally kaput!

William, my sister's adopted cat

I've read the sickly entry of this kid, who thrived on the agony of a poor kitty, via my sister's multiply post. Whether you care about cats or are indifferent about 'em, you'd really feel sorry for the unfortunate feline that was innocently beaten (erm, stepped on?) till it gave an anguished kitty cough and bled to death.

The latest news is that people from some animal rights group went to the Discipline Committee of the kid's school to file some complaint. I tried to look for his controversial multiply account, but it's no longer in cyberspace. Tsk, tsk... he can't even be man enough to face the consequence of his unusual musings. Ugh.

http://static.zooomr.com/images/7273270_129acf7dcb_o.jpg
click on that teeny weeny magnifying lens to zoom into the dreadful tale of the kill.

*******
For my non-Tagalog speaker readers: an excerpt of the post

On our way out of old NIP I saw the cat I almost killed last Tuesday. Now everyone knows I hate cats. It’s an unexplainable feeling towards them. Like some internal hatred. I don’t know why but whenever I try to stop myself, I really can’t because I get a kick out of doing these things to cats. I pulled it on its tail and threw it. Then like some pro wrestler I jumped on it and my feet landed on it’s torso. Slam! Felt good! But the cat didn’t die, well not yet. It ran for it's life and just as I was about to catch up on it somebody yelled: "Can you just leave the cat alone?" It was instant and involuntary. I stopped on my tracks. Nobody ever stopped me when assaulting cats. Well I guess there’s always a first time for everything. The cat got away. Or at least that’s what i thought. So we went to lunch Mel, Jayson, Tracy and me. After lunch, we just went back to do whatever we needed to do. Then Tracy and Mel told me "Hey JC, I think you just killed the cat."

Hours later a guy came in. He asked: "Who killed the cat??" Bang! Dat was me boi. Guilty as charged. I didn’t see it die but Myles said it coughed up blood or at least something like that. Didn’t realize I gave it a fatal hit. This isn’t the first time I’ve killed a cat but this time it’s different. It didn’t occur to me back then that the cat had a leash. So I think somebody owns it. Well it’s very well loved in NIP from what I heard and I just ended it’s life. So there you go I’m sorry. And I wont be striking another one for maybe about a month. It feels good when your beating it (a cat) up but you suddenly feel something strange when it turns off permanently. That’s how I feel right now. And maybe for the next days. Dang, am I a cat serial killer?"

Royally yours, Bleak

BB Cream Review: Dr. Jart Silver and Skin79 Waterdrop

(a personal review. meant to help out giving an overview in choosing the right bb cream, but does not claim that all effects and insights will be the same for others.)

Skin Description: combination to oily (oily T-zone)
light yellow undertones
light to medium skin tone

Dr. Jart's Silver Label:

Label says:

"This unique professional formula aims at covering skin imperfections, concealing blemishes and activating skin rejuvenation. Soothes red, irritated skin while providing moisture to it. Whitening. A good make up base." (edited)

The Edge:

SPF 35
color eventually blends with my skintone in a minute
medium coverage
cuts your prep time shorter by skipping foundie if you want a natural yet "covered" look (how do i explain this?)
a lil amount of the product is needed to cover my face
i skipped my concealer! yay!
fair to good oil control (oil control range: poor-fair-good-great) in this humid weather that we have; great oil control inside airconditioned areas.
not heavily scented (vs. Skinfood, Elianto, Skin79, The Faceshop)

Uh-ohs:

difficult to blend (using the fingertips)
not for dry skin types (i think) coz it tends to be a little drying (ive got oily skin, and very oily tzones; it controlled my oilies along the t-zone area but kinda left a flaky cheek and chin)
the glow it gave my face after washing the product off was relatively mediocre (compared to Elianto BB cream, Skin79 and Skinfood)
not available in the Philippines
powder make up can look cakey if BB cream is not applied using a brush (yeah, didn't i say that it's not that blendable using the fingertips?)
comes in one shade only

I must say that this is my perfect daytime BB cream! Although after my first use, I actually thought of just giving it to my sis (because it dried some parts of my face too much). I was also disappointed that it didn't give the kind of "glow" I expected after washin it off my face.

On fast forward mode... three days after my first use, I started to notice that it stopped drying me out too much. Perhaps my face was just adjusting to pricey products, eh? As for the glow... I'd still say that Elianto does a perfect job giving me that "afterglow" and Skin79's coming in second. Skinfood comes in third and Dr. Jart falls in last.

Silver Label was indeed a good make up base. My mineral make up stayed put, while I only needed to blot twice (in a day) to keep the oilies at bay. Dr. Jart is one amazing product because it allows good coverage and good oil control, while most BB creams often leave out one for the other.

Since I don't have anybody to take pictures of me wearing these fab beauty prods, I took the liberty of using my notebook's webcam.

BEFORE BB cream: zits on the chin, washed my face so my t-zone's less oily than it normally is

a pea-size of the prod and you're all set to a new skin!

(top and bottom pics): AFTER applying Dr. Jart's Silver Label BB Cream, zits are less obvious, my face is glowing and healthy-looking!

Skin79 Shiny Pearl Waterdrop Beblesh Cream (*hingal, hingal*)

Label says:

"Gives the skin radiance and attractiveness because of the shiny pearl. Maintains a natural and sheer look by controlling sebum. The water drop type, which includes plenty of moisture, gives the skin a cooling effect. Aqua-scented. Protects the skin, provides nutrition (from the 8 plant extracts) making the skin shiny, healthy and bright." (edited)

The Edge:

very sheer and natural on the skin
blends easily on the face with the fingertips
color blends with my skintone right away
lightweight, no-makeup feeling!
good to great oil control in an airconditioned room
gives a good glow after washing it off the face

Uh-Ohs:

has a strong scent
very sheer coverage; not a good concealer
no SPF
for those who hate glittery prods, this has itsy bitsy shinies
available in one shade only
not available in the Philippines

For an oily gal like me, I wouldn't even think twice about getting this product because of the word "Shiny" (remember, it's Shiny Pearl Waterdrop?). This is actually a misnomer because it can be surprisingly good with controlling oilies! Its label indicates that it is oil-free, too.

Skin79's Waterdrop gives an edgier twist to your common BB cream because of its "shine"--- the microglitters it contains. These are cute ones that makes you "shine" in a very pretty way. It's just too bad that it doesn't give a good coverage.

If you've got clear skin and you'd like some twist onto your sheer and natural "make-up", then this one's for you!

Before application

microglitters may not be that obvious, but this is the "shine" that it brings--- they might wanna say "bright" rather than "shiny", eh?

If only it had SPF, this'll make a perfect beach BB cream!

FACE-OFF:

	Dr. Jart Silver	Skin79 Waterdrop
Consistency	Thick, difficult to blend	Thin, blendable
Coverage	Medium to heavy	Poor
Shade range	One shade only	One shade only
Price (over ebay South Korea)	P1200 to P1600 ($28 to $33)	P600 to P1000 ($12.50 to $21)
Finish	Dewy, not matte (for a matte finish, top it off with URFP)	Dewy, not matte (for a matte finish, top it off with URFP)
Make-up Base ability	Can be cakey	Great make up base
SPF	35	0
Oil-control (airconditoned room)	Great	Great

N.B. on the "whitening effect of BB creams: I believe that when they say BB creams are "whitening", they meant that it brightens and gives the face a certain kind of glow. I've used a whitening BB cream for 6 months now; taking its "whitening" effect in the context that we Filipinos know of, it never whitened or lightened my skin! Not a single bit. Take for example, wrinkle-free... LOL. Yep, there's a certain brand of BB cream that claims to be wrinkle-free.

I hope this review helped in some sort of way to get you nearer your HG BB cream! Skin79's Hot Pink and VIP Gold Beblesh Creams are intriguing, too (here are Gale's and Nikki's reviews respectively). I'll do a review on these next with 2 more Skin79 BB creams. Till next time!

(message me for your sample needs)

Royally yours, Bleak

Beauty Tip: Dab with your Ring Finger

I recently learned that the best way to be gentle on your skin is to dab the beauty prods onto your face with the ring finger. Among the rest of the fingers, they say that this exerts the least force. I've tried sliding all my fingers against my cheek, and true enough, the ring finger has the least pressure on the face. Now, everytime I use my cold cream or pat on a concealer, I use my ring finger!

For my 25 y/o and below readers who are wondering what the fuss is with not putting on so much force on the face, it's actually to ward off our hated wrinkles.

Suri Cruise Vogues

There's just no stopping Suri from being adorable.

Heck, the girl's got a bigger wardrobe than I do! I love this little lady to bits and I can't wait for her to grow up!

How bout you? Do you like Suri Cruise, too?

Cheap yet Effective Make Up Remover

I love Pond's Cold cream because it thoroughly removes my foundation and concealer. It also incorporates a little massage to the face (versus cleansing oils that you plainly splash onto your face) to improve microcirculation.

The Edge:

waaaaay cheaper than Shu's :D
mildly scented
moisturizes skin making it soft and supple afterward
great for getting tough foundie/concealer off the face
i have an outrageously sensitive skin and i never broke out on this one

Uh-Ohs:

you still need a tissue/wet wipe to remove the cream
there is the need to reapply the cream all over again (after taking it off the first time) if you're wearing heavy make up
the face can get a lil greasy after removing the stuff off your face (an uh-oh for oily skinned gals like me)... but you'll wash the face with soap after, anyway
if you wear make up daily, the size of the cold cream may be insufficient for you (somebody tell me if it has a bigger size!)

If you're a newbie to make up (just like me) and you're not into make up removers yet, do consider having one. You need it to ensure that the face is squeaky clean after washing with your fave cleanser. You might want to start with a Pond's cold cream purchase!

Royally yours, Bleak

Optimize your Skin Regimen Meds by Exfoliating

Most girls have a long line of prods for primping and prettifying. Since earning money is rather tough these days, we must make sure that these beauty agents that we spend so much moolah on will be as efficient as it was made to be.

Our skin needs exfoliation at least once every two weeks to slough off icky dead skin cells. Gentle exfoliation removes unwanted elements in the skin (thick dead skin cells plus dirt) so that our creams and lotions will work best to give us that soft, supple and glowing look.

My exfoliation regimen? I gently scrub my face and neck using St. Ives Apricot scrub every week and dry brush the entire body every other day. Facial and neck skin are relatively thinner than the rest of the body, hence, the once a week regimen (it's still okay to exfoliate these thinner areas twice a month).

Face and Neck Exfoliation

St. Ives Apricot Scrub has microbeads to aid in scrubbing the skin. Since this is the case, I don't really understand why most girls need to exert so much force in applying the scrub onto their poor faces. Just gently rub the scrub onto your face and neck in an upward circular motion and let your face and neck bask in the glory of exfoliation!

Don't forget to wash the scrub off thoroughly. You wouldn't want the tiny beads to block the pores.

I love St. Ives Apricot scrub because:

- I instantly notice that my face and neck become softer
- I feel like a huge amount of the metro's dirt has been sloughed off my face
- it has a menthol-y scent and feel that calms and relaxes my skin

Dry Brushing the Body

Scrubbing the skin with loofah prior to wetting it can make a huge difference! I also exfoliate with a wet skin using L'oreal Exfotonic (done every two weeks), but the idea of removing dirt off your body is more optimal when the skin isn't wet. Dry brushing makes it easier to remove dirt and dead skin clls off your thick body skin.

A daily dose of this technique is okay since you get to use light strokes. Here are the steps to do it:

1. Using a loofah or a scrubbing glove, work your way up the body using light strokes beginning with the feet.

2. Provide imaginary bodily divisions as you work your way up (i.e., toes going up towards ankle, ankle going up towards knees, etc). Working your way up activates the technique's detoxifying effect (the skin is the largest organ that excretes waste products, you can just imagine how much detoxification it needs!).

3. Do seven light sweeping motions on every body division.

4. Use a long handled loofah scrubber to exfoliate the back.

A few pointers:

be sure to use LIGHT, CIRCULAR STROKING MOTIONS. too much pressure will not only scratch your precious skin, it may even stress the valves in your veins (varicose veins, anyone?)
you may want to dry brush the tummy area using a counter-clockwise stroke to improve digestion
keep your loofah off wounds and infections

Why I love dry brushing:

- it gives me a certain kind of glow after using my fave Olay shower cream. I tried scratching off dry brushing from my bath routine for several weeks and I was able to conclude that this method does a HUGE difference...and I finally decided to continue this exfoliating regimen even if it eats up a couple of my precious minutes.
- it softens and makes my skin supple
- i feel uber clean!

Now that you've warded off dirt and dead skin cells from your face and bod, it's time to slather on those expensive beauty stuff and experience better skin!

Exfoliation isn't much of a rave when it comes to prettifying. Now that you know what big difference it makes, maybe you'll stop thinking twice about purchasing that funny loofah scrub.

Royally yours, Bleak

Laughtrip site 1: Totallylookslike.com

Whenever I need some "natural high" after a long day, I know I could always count on a favorite site called totallylookslike.com. Here are my fave picks from their 'Look-Alikes' tab that keeps me amused:

(all photos courtesy of totallylookslike.com)

Separated at birth?

Cool, huh? Have you got laughtrip sites that you often visit? Lemme know so I can add more web addies to my roster of funny and amusing sites!

Royally yours, Bleak