Thoughts: Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil

HOLY GRAIL ALERT!

HOLY GRAIL ALERT!

HOLY. GRAIL. ALERT!

Hahaha.  I do have a penchant for the dramatic, n'est pas?

But seriously.  This is one of my most loved products right now!  As you know (if you've been reading my blog) I do work at Sephora...therefore I get to try a lot (I repeat...A LOT) of skincare throughout the year.  There are times when I am halfway through something and I wish I could just get through it to try something new...but Seaberry Oil is something I want to never, ever, EVER, go away.

Seaberry oil is jam-packed with a great blend of pure oils and omegas including: 

• seaberry - antioxidant and contains omegas 7 and 9 (moisturizing)
• cranberry seed - helps keep skin smooth and elastic
• camellia seed - emolliant and a skin moisturizer
• grapeseed - anti-inflammitant, anti aging benefits
• sweet almond  - an excellent emollient and moisturizer
• Omega 3 - calming and soothing
• Omegas 6+9 - improves skin elasticity, softness, and smoothness
• Omega 7 -  an ingredient I don't see often in skincare, omega 7 enhances the skin's ability to heal itself

as well as being packed with omega essential fatty acids.  It also has vitamin E for hydration and and to maintain skin elasticity.

Seaberry (or seabuckthorn) which is native to Siberia and found across Asia and Europe, is a multi-use ingredient that can not only be refined to be used in face oil (which, clearly, is what I'm talking about in this blog post -- haha) but you can also refine it to be used in food/beverages (ps, if you can get ahold of Sibu juice [LINK] -- it's DELICIOUS...I had a training with the founder of Fresh in San Francisco last month and we got to try some!)

So why do I love it so?  Well firstly, dry skin loves moisturizing oils.  I am hoping I'm not the only desert skin out there who doesn't enjoy the feeling of argan oil on my face (I find it super thick and it never fully sinks in...and I loathe feeling greasy).  This just melts into my skin and leaves me looking so glowy and hydrated but never greasy or shiny.

PRO TIP!  

I love mixing 2 drops of Seaberry Oil into my current moisturizer of choice.  It slightly changes the texture of the moisturizer (right now I'm using a Lancome night cream and a deluxe size Amore Pacific cream...but it pretty much mixes into any oil-free moisturizer very well) and turns it into a silky lightweight texture.  The creams sink into your skin and it's a fantastic way to feel ultra pampered.

You can also use it like you would any oil - I've run it through the ends of my hair, used it on my cuticles, mixed it into body lotion (which will be great coming into winter in Maine...my elbows and knees will love it!)

Have you tried Seaberry oil or any other face oil?  What was your favorite?

*this product was provided by the company to me through my job.  this does not influence what i put on my blog in any way.  my thoughts and opinions are my honest ones*

Doctor Brands: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare: ALPHA BETA PEEL PADS

This is going to be one hell of a love fest for a post.  Just throwing that out there.

This is the hero product for me that started a long love with this brand.  I keep trying new things, and I'm never disappointed!  That's saying a lot considering when it comes to my skin, I'm suuuuuuper picky.

The Alpha-Beta Peel comes in two varieties.  The Original and the Extra Strength (Extra Strength is shown above and is a bit stronger so it's more recommended for normal/resilient skin.  It also contains willow bark extract and mandelic acid).  You can see the brand comparison here [LINK]..  I'm going to be talking about the original strength in my post...but I have used both (and I've also had the professional treatment that you only can get in the dermatology office) and I am in loooooooooove.

So I admit it -- I'm a peel junkie.  I've got dry, flaky skin and I have to peel my face at least once a week to keep the flakies at bay.  That's why these are such a skin saver for me -- you can use them daily or you can spread them out!

It is a 2-step treatment and they come packaged either in separate jars or in the packettes --

Step 1 is your refining step. It contains:

• Glycolic Acid (anti-aging)
• Lactic Acid (promotes cell renewal - exfoliating/moisturizing)
• Malic Acid (promotes cell renewal - exfoliating/moisturizing)
• Citric Acid (helps speed cell turnover/renewal)
• Salicylic Acid (helps to keep pores clean)
• Genistein (stimulates collagen production)
• Chamomilla Recutita (soothes/calms irritation)
• Green Tea Extract (natural antioxidant)

Step 2 is a neutralizer for Step 1.  It contains:

• Retinol (anti-aging)
• Green Tea Extract (natural antioxidant)
• Phospholipids (humectant - draws moisture from the air and seals to skin)
• Sodium Bicarbonate (neutralized acids in step 1)
• Vitamins A, C, E (antioxidants, prevents collagen breakdown)
• Genistein (stimulates collagen production)
• Yarrow Extract (natural toner/anti inflammatory)
• Ubiquinone (antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals)
• Resveratrol (grape-seed polyphenol that protects skin from premature ageing)

The best part is that it takes about 4 minutes to do the peel!  The pads are pre-soaked and pre-labeled.  Take step 1 and use small circular motions all over your face, neck and decollete until the pad has lost it's moisture.  Wait 2 minutes (I take this opportunity to brush my teeth!). Then take step 2 and do the exact same motions.  That's it!

After using these my face always feels extremely clean and smooth and I feel like my skincare is better absorbed into my skin because I've cleaned off all of the dead cells.

This is my MUST HAVE skincare product -- have you tried it?  What do you think?

Long Time, No Blog?

Well HELLO!  How are you?  What?  Where have I been?

Oh that.

Yeah....about that.

Sooo, I haven't blogged (or vlogged for that matter) since I told you all I worked for Sephora back in July.  That gives kind of a negative feeling doesn't it?  Well, let's just dispel most of that right now!

Simply put, I haven't blogged because I've been right out straight!   I auditioned for (and got into) a local production of Jesus Christ Superstar as the featured Maid by the Fire...and that, on top of work is insane.  Just to give you a little insight -- I live an hour away from my store...so I leave at 7:30 in the morning, work 8:30-5:30, have rehearsal (or call for the show) from 6-whenever I get out (rehearsal: 9:30, performances: 10ish) and then depending on if the cast is going to do something, I won't get home until midnight.  That leaves just about enough time to sleep to do it all over again!

 

oh hey, I'm that blind leper on the left in the hat and orange shawl!

 

Maid by the Fire turned Reporter (for our production) during Peter's Denial

Photo Credit:  Audra Hatch Photography

The cool thing is, I have my work/life balance that I love -- I can do makeup AND theater!  The bad thing is, I don't have enough time to do much of anything else.  Which means my contribution to all my different forms of social media suffers.  Sorry.

But what is cool is that I've been doing a lot of fun things in the meantime!  Last night I just got home from a work trip to San Francisco (during my birthday no less!) and I'm jumping right back into another show -- I will be Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music in November!  (among other things - I'm slowly getting more involved with that theater company and I'm very exited to be doing so!)

Oh San Francisco.  I can't wait to someday be there!! Every time I go (and this was my 3rd time) I fall in love a little more.

 

we got to make our own fragrances!

 

i spent an entire evening in Haight-Ashbury -- my inner hippie was ecstatic!

 

I met Lev Glazman (the founder of the brand FRESH)

 

 My friend Heather took me to Little Italy for my 29th birthday

 

where all the magic happens ;)

 

So I'm going to attempt to finish up some post-trip planning/work and if I have time I want to curate a few posts, because this is something I enjoy immensely and I hate that I leave it behind when I get busy!

Hi, my name is Ashleigh and I work at....

I've never been one for hiding anything...especially not from you guys - my whole theory on that is: if I wouldn't buy it, I won't tell you to.  If I don't like it, I'll say so.  What I will do is tell you what I do like and what I don't like and let you (the reader) make your own choice.  My reasoning behind this choice is that my skin is not your skin.  What works for me won't necessarily work for you (and vice-versa).  I've always stated that I work in the realm of cosmetics and beauty, and when I'm reviewing products, I always disclose where it came from.

What the heck does this have to do with ANYTHING you may be wondering?  Most jobs have a book of policies that employees must follow during their employment -- and especially nowadays there are Social Media Policies -- and I just read a recent update to my own employer's policy and while in the past it has never stated that I cannot disclose the place where I work, for my own sanity (and the fact that I wanted to keep my personal life and internet life a little more separate), I didn't publicly state where I work, just that it was within the realm of cosmetics.  Since I started blogging and since I've had my YouTube channel, I've met a couple of people in the "real world" who have watched my videos or read my blog and I love seeing/meeting you all...it was just always super weird to have it happen at work and I didn't know how to take it.  I like keeping it not so "OMGIKNOWYOUIWATCHYOURVIDEOS" and more like "Hi, How are you?" -- being in theater, I'm all for recognizing people but not being insane about it - haha!

That being said, I feel more comfortable sharing a little more about it...my newest job title recently went onto my "about me" on my Instagram...and I figure if I can say it there, I can say it here -- most of you probably have guessed it (and those who know me more personally obviously already know where I work).  So with all this being said...

Hi, my name is Ashleigh and I'm a Senior Artist at Sephora :)

 

(this was the last time we did 80's day before we got the new "Star Trek" uniforms! haha)

(the first photo was from my location's grand opening)

So what does this mean for the blog and for YouTube?

Absolutely nothing.  I will still make videos and blog as usual.  Nothing will change.

A couple things do need to be put out right here for you all and for the sake of social media policies everywhere -- I've always said it, but I just want it completely black and white so that I *can* keep blogging and doing videos!

Yes, I work for Sephora.  Yes, I receive gratis.  I always have disclosed and will continue to do so when I receive products from work if they are gratis and are reviewed/featured on the blog or YouTube.  The most important thing I want to put out there (and this has never and will never change) is that all of my opinions are my own, they are not affiliated with Sephora.

Double Winged Liner

Just a quick little look for you all while I figure out what I want to blog on for the future -- I've been so busy with work (and now I've been cast in a musical that opens in September!) so by the time I get home, I'm just a little tired ;)

Products Used:

NARS Pro Prime Foundation Primer

Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation

Sephora Collection Microsmooth Powder

Tarte Glisten Amazonian Clay Blush

MAC Mystery Eyeshadow (brows)

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Urban Decay Naked Palette (Sin, Naked, Buck)

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liners (Black and Periwinkle)

Tarte MultiplEYE Lash Primer

Yves St. Laurent Babydoll Lashes Mascara

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

 

Thoughts: Bumble&bumble Tonic Lotion

Is it possible to love something so much that you'd cry if you didn't have it?  It is?  Oh wait, that's what makes it a holy grail product!!!

Well I suppose, if I had to choose one for my hair, this would be in the list of "things I really actually can't live without" column.

Bumble says that this lotion is packed with vitamins, herbs, and tea tree oil...and it's meant for detangling, soothing, and gives your hair more moisture.  The formula is fabulous for all hair types, but especially for dry, coarse, damaged, and color treated hair.  You can also use it to reactivate product already in your hair to restyle.  Bonus!!!  Especially for people like myself who -- well quite frankly, give hair the super way back seat.

I spray this into towel dried hair every time I wash it, and I can honestly say it makes a huge difference!!  So much so that when I was traveling back in January I had to buy the little guy on the left in the picture :)  And the bottle on the right is my 2nd bottle since summer!

It also helps my styling products perform better -- I love having it in my hair when I have to curl or straighten (if you know me well, I rarely heat style my hair because it's already so dry and damaged) and it just makes it so soft -- which was a buzz word they used in trainings I've been to -- it softens the hair.

I just love it, and I don't forsee living without it.  Definitely a replenishing item for me!!

What:  Bumble&bumble Tonic Lotion

Where:  Sephora, Sephora.com, Bumble locations

How Much:  $20 (8oz bottle) or $7 (2oz bottle)

*this item was purchased by me!*

Thoughts: Perricone MD Chia Serum

It's no secret that my dry skin loves oil.  Any oil.  Oil for all.  So when I received a Perricone Chia Serum from my job last summer I knew I was going to save it for winter for when I get really dry and those pesky flakies make an appearance.

So I've been using the oil since the beginning of December and I have to say that I do like it.  It's hydrating, leaves my skin nice and glowy, and I can definitely say it does improve how my moisturizer performs (I didn't use it faithfully on my work trip to San Francisco last week and it definitely showed by the time I came home).

I use 2-3 drops morning and night and apply it directly to cleansed skin.  If I feel like making a serum cocktail I will apply other serums on top...then my moisturizer of choice (depending on day or night) and finally my eye cream.

It's fast absorbing and doesn't leave me feeling super greasy...which I love (I don't even like greasy hand lotion!)

The great thing about oils is that anyone can use them, even oilier skin types.  Some people like myself can layer them with their moisturizers, and some people can use them AS moisturizer.  Super customizable!  It's just all about finding which one works for you.

Do you use an oil?  Which is your favorite?

this product was provided to me by my job.  this has no bearing on what i say in my blog.  no one is compensating me for my thoughts.

Skin Saver: Dr. Perricone Blue Plasma

Just a quick blog post to let you in on something that has saved my skin.

Many of you may know that I was in a pretty bad car accident in December that left me car-less for a month, but it also left me with a broken nose (thankfully it was a clean break and was re-set on New Year's Eve so it's on the mend!)

However, this meant two things.  A) no makeup until I could safely move my skin after the re-set (which was this past week...so a month of no makeup) and B) no exfoliation.

Being very dry, this KILLED me on the inside.  I can deal with no makeup...heck, if I could go to work every day with the bare minimum I totally would (or at least the mornings I have to be there early haha!)  But no exfoliation?  My skin is going to haaaate me.

I kept most of it in check with gentle exfoliation with a washcloth, but as you can imagine, I couldn't exfoliate OR moisturize my nose and very quickly I had a dry and scaly nose.  Boo.

Blue Plasma came out just after Christmas and thank goodness it did!  It is a super gentle, non-acidic daily facial peel that will not leave your skin sensitive or red...and it is specifically formulated to only go after dead skin cells while protecting the healthy ones AND it micro exfoliates without dryness!  Blue Plasma I love you.

I got a sample from my local Sephora and used said sample for 3 days.  No more flakes.  None.  At all. I have to say that I am won over by this (normally I am adverse to Perricone because of the high price point --this product I believe is $95-- and I am super picky about how my products smell...many of the Perricone products contain DMAE which has a slightly fishy odor to most people...this product however has virtually no scent).  I will say with a little bit of excitement that I can't wait for my tax return because this little bottle of blue is going to be mine.

YouTube Series: ABC's Once Upon A Time: Snow White #2 (Entertainment Weekly Cover)

A quick and easy look for anyone based on Snow White's flushed cheeks, winged liner, and natural pink lip as seen on the late-October cover of Entertainment Weekly!

Head past the jump to see photos of the finished look and the video!

Foundation Frenzy - Liquid Foundations

Foundations featured in photo (shades noted from memory! haha):

Make Up For Ever High Definition Foundation (#120)

*Annabelle BB Cream

Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation (Light/Medium)

*Gosh BB Cream

Clinique Even Better (#04 - Cream Chamois)

*Smashbox Studio Skin

Marcelle BB Cream

*Marcelle Limited Edition BB Cream

NARS Sheer Glow (Santa Fe)

Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream (Light)

Sephora Collection Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer SPF20

Cover Girl NatureLuxe Foundation

FusionBeauty Prime Results Tinted Moisturizer (Sand)

L'Oreal True Match

*NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 (Finland)

NARS Firming Foundation (Punjab)

Benefit You Rebel Tinted Moisturizer

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation

*Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation

*Dr. Brandt Flexitone BB Cream

Maybelline Dream Liquid Foundation (not in photo)

Clearly 2012 was the year of the foundation for me.  I will tell you right now that not every foundation has been opened and/or tried as of this blog post (as noted by the *asterisks*) however - some of them I have actually tried before...I just clearly have too many foundations open and I need to clean out some of them first!

What I wanted to do with this post is to give you a mini rundown on what I like about each of these foundations (or conversely, what I don't love quite so much...)  You will find clickable links [surrounded like this] if I have a review posted about these foundations on my blog.  Eventually I hope to have a more in-depth review for each foundation.  Feel free to click through and read :)

• Make Up For Ever High Definition Foundation - I think this foundation gives a great medium to full buildable coverage, while still looking like skin with a natural finish.  The pigments are wrapped into amino acids and what this will mean for you is that rather than the foundation sinking into skin texture, it closely mimics the skin and flexes with it as it moves - thus preventing that overly cakey foundation face that everyone runs away from.  All skin types can wear this but what I find is that drier skins need a hydrating base or a really good moisturizer underneath and someone who is very oily will want an oil control primer. (also of note: I don't normally say you need to use the matching company's primer with their foundations, but in this case the HD Primer and HD Foundation are a match made in heaven).  I personally don't use this very much as an everyday foundation because I find that (especially in the winter) because of my dry skin, it can cling if I'm not diligent about moisturizer - so I tend to save it for tutorials -- and in point of fact, I just gave my bottle to a coworker who suited the shade I had a bit better than I did...I prefer #125 on my skin.

• Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation - A lovely, creamy textured foundation spiked with Josie's secret ingredient - Argan Oil - a balancing oil great for all skin types (absorbs excess oils and hydrates dry patches!).  Chameleon pigments make this foundation a bit different than your typical ones.  It comes out of the bottle looking like a mottled white liquid that as you blend bursts and warms to your skintone perfectly.  There are 3 shade variants available (Fair/Light good for people with a pinker undertone, Light/Medium good for people with a more olive undertone, and Medium/Deep good for people with a darker and warmer skintone).  One of my all time favorite foundations with a glowy finish that's not too shiny (oilier skins may still want to set oily zones with a translucent or blotting powder) and looks great on my skin all day.

• Clinique Even Better SPF 15 Foundation - A great foundation for people who are looking to correct uneven skin tone!  Developed by Clinique's dermatologists, this foundation is said to visibly diminish age spots in 4-6 weeks.  I think that this may be a little far fetched as a serum or a treatment would give a better result...but I do love the finish it gives.  A more complete thought on this foundation can be found [here] but I find it's more of a full coverage foundation that feels like a medium.  Which is perfect for those people out there who want coverage but don't want it to feel too thick and heavy.  Clinique says it works best on dry-combination to oily skin.  I find oilier skin types don't always love it and may have to powder.

• Marcelle BB Cream - An 8-in-one multi benefit skincare/makeup fusion, this is another product in a long line on the train of both drugstore and high end BB creams.  But make no mistake...this one is my favorite so far.  BB creams should be skincare first and coverage second...this is rarely the case with our Western versions as they are akin more to our tinted moisturizers just souped up with a tiny bit more of a skin benefit (and I'm sorry to say that even Marcelle's falls into this category).  It does keep my skin nicely hydrated with a decent amount of coverage (I call it a light/medium...if I want a true medium I add some powder and it's flawless!).  Interestingly, this is the first BB cream I've met with  no SPF (though if I recall, there is one with an SPF available).  It is a Canadian product though so getting it outside of Canada may be a bit harder, but if you can get your mitts on it, please try it!  I'm smitten!  [Review can be found here]

• NARS Sheer Glow - If I could write a Sonnet to this foundation, I would.  This is my HG (or holy grail) foundation.  It's a perfect medium coverage, leaves my skin hydrated and glowing, and lasts all day with a primer.  It has antioxidants built into it and contains turmeric extract for improved skin radiance and and tone.  I have a comparison for this foundation [here] with the Sheer Matte finish.  If you have dry to dry-combination skin, please try this foundation.  You won't be disappointed!

• Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation - A more recent addition to my *ahem, little* collection, the KvD foundation is amazing as far as pigmentation, transfer resistance, and lastability go...but it falls short for my dry skin in that it dries to be way too matte of a finish for myself (it's listed as a soft matte finish, but on me it just looks unnatural).  But this also makes it an amazing foundation for someone who has that oilier skin type.  Interestingly, please note that I've also found that this foundation is fabulous as a concealer and offers quite a bit more coverage than her tattoo concealer!  If you are a drier skin type and you want to get the most out of this because you're looking for the coverage or long wear factor, you can layer with her priming serum (or any hydrating primer - the MUFE HD Elixir is fabulous under this!).

• Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream - Another fantastic BB cream, and probably my 2nd favorite of the ones I've tried so far...Smashbox offers you a higher SPF (35), oil control and hydration, primer built in, medium coverage that feels like sheer, AND it comes in 5 shades (typically a BB cream comes in one, maaaaybe two shades)!  Again I find that I can go either way with this BB cream and I can leave it without a powder or I can set it with one for more coverage...same goes for my oilier skinned friends...because of the nature of the oil control, you may not need to set it.

• Sephora Collection Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 - Oil control, antiaging peptides, sheer color and sun protection!  This is a fantastic product for any age...from someone who is just starting out wearing makeup to the seasoned makeup enthusiast who just wants to lighten up a bit (especially in the summer months...how I wished I had this when I lived in Florida those many (read: 5) years ago haha).  The coverage is light enough to not feel like you've got anything more than a moisturizer on, but it does give a light coverage to just even out any light skin discoloration.  Spots, dark circles, and heavier ruddiness will need a little more concealer.

• CoverGirl NatureLuxe Foundation - I find that most people think that just because I have so many higher end foundations that I am a makeup snob.  This isn't the case, I just have more than enough to last me for a while before I need to buy anything myself (perks of working in cosmetics I guess)...but I am definitely a sucker for a bargain so when I saw the Cover Girl NatureLuxe foundation on sale at my local Hannaford because they weren't going to be carrying it there anymore, I had to get one.  Lightweight, blendable, soothing feeling on the skin...It's almost like the feeling of a tinted moisturizer but just a smidge more coverage.  My issue with drugstore makeup is that a) there are no testers and b) the shades are always orangey...and this stays true with this foundation unfortunately.  I can wear it in the summer, but only when I'm at my tannest as the orangey shade is more noticeable without that slight burn you get from a tan.  It's probably my least favorite looking foundation that I currently have going - but that's ok because I don't have to use it until summer ;)

• Fusion Beauty PrimeResults Tinted Moisturizer - If you can't tell by the sheer amount of BB creams in that picture, I kind of like things that are multi-taskers.  PrimeResults is an amazing tinted moistuizer that has a sheer coverage that weightlessly veils imperfections and fills in unwanted skin texture with it's built in primer!  This also has ingredients in it that deeply hydrate and re-hydrate your skin - again with my oilier skinned readers, you may find you need a powder to set this.  I find I get the most amazingly flawless coverage when I pair this with my MAC Studio Fix powder.  Probably because of the extra hydration from this it's best on drier skin types.

• L'Oreal True Match Liquid Foundation - This has to be one of my favorite drugstore foundations and has been for years.  While I tend to err on the side of Maybelline for my drugstore needs, L'Oreal stepped up their game and I am pretty sure this is one of the most extensive color matched foundations I've seen in a while.  Medium coverage, satin finish, and matching powders to boot (of which I will discuss that one in my powder foundation post when I do it!).  I think it's good for all skin types.  Typical to what I find in drugstore foundations...it will last longer when layered with a primer.

• NARS Firming Foundation - Sadly I do believe this has been discontinued.  Therefore, I don't feel it fair to talk about it at length.  Sorry!!!

• Benefit You Rebel Tinted Moisturizer - A great sheer coverage foundation (because really, that's all tinted moisturizers are!) I love the Benefit products because of their quirky packaging (which to be honest sometimes is over-priced...and yes I'm looking at you box powders!) but the products are 9 times out of 10 good!  (Following this one is one that I'm not so hot-to-trot for though...whoops).  This is a great tinted moisturizer, and it does come in a lighter shade as well (aptly named You Rebel lite).

• Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation - Light in texture, an SPF of 25, and buildable coverage don't save this foundation from my list of "foundations I want to love but for reasons [x,y,z] I just can't."  If I had to pick my top reason though, it would be that on my dry as a bone skin, it makes me look oily after 2 or 3 hours - and it's an oil free foundation! o_0  That aside, it is buildable and it is light in texture and there are plenty of people out there (and many of them are oily) who love this foundation.  I say set it well with powder and maybe it'll be ok.

• Maybelline Dream Liquid Foundation - This is probably my favorite drugstore foundation ever created.  Big claim, I know...but it comes in a great range of shades and it is this very strange consistency that works well with my skin.  Best for normal to drier skin types (may make oilier skins feel too slick)...It comes out a mousse type consistency but then goes to almost a gel-like consistency.  This leaves my skin with a great dewy finish (on days when I feel more normal than dry, I do find I need powder) and with a primer it stays all day.

One Woman With Many Faces [Face Charts]

One of my favorite things to do is to play around with face charts.  Ever since I worked counter for MAC, I've loved taking products and literally grinding them onto the paper to create something three dimensional and beautiful on something that's a very two dimensional surface.  (By the by...back in the day that I *did* work counter, you really did have to grind the colors onto the charts...haha)

I've done face charts on all different types of pre-made charts (and I kid you not...I've even done them on plain computer paper...HARD!)...and I got some in the mail about a month ago that really take the cake.  I know that he is still working on them and improving them -- but seriously...get thee to Dustin's site and get some of these bad boys for yourself if you're a chart person!

[LINK TO DUSTIN'S BLOGPOST!]

Also, I kept the images kind of big so that when you click on them you can see the texture. you're welcome -- haha!

I think (and maybe it's just my own personal preference) that I'd almost like to not even have the eyebrow guides...When I do charts that don't have brows...or when I want an unnatural brow shape I feel like I can always see the "ghost lines" beneath...again, it could just be me being weird haha!

Lots of room to write your products - and you don't have to have itty bitty handwriting either!

I absolutely adore that he designed this with both eyes open!  The shape lends itself to many different eye shapes and look types.

The only thing that took me a while to get used to was the actual construction of the face -- it actually looks like a human!  Hehe.  The *only* reason I say that is because I'm used to working on charts where the faces look like robots.  Seriously guys...have you LOOKED at a blank MAC chart?  Or a chart from Sephora? Creeeeeeeepy.  The year there was a tin man in MAC's halloween looks, I seriously thought to myself: "Gee...whoever designed that must have forgot about it until the day of..."

The texture is fantastic for blending...I don't have to grind colors into the paper!  I also like the lashline that's drawn in on the top - I feel like it's more realistic looking once the chart is finished...

All in all, these are fantastic and I will be ordering lots (um...but probably not till tax refund time though - mama needs to pay for her car to get fixed from the accident haha) -- but I need hoardes of these STAT!

The face charts are currently $10.50 USD for a pack of 20 (limited time on this price if I recall correctly) and have the option of being pre-drilled for three hole punches.  All the information is linked above to Dusty's post on his blog about it.

I'm serious guys...go get some...these are the bees knees!



*the face charts featured in this blog post were provided to me.  i am not being compensated for this post and this does not have any influence on what i think about them -- if they were crap I'd tell you!  or i wouldn't even waste a post on them haha*