Anastasia Contour Kit: Highlight Your Colors

This Contour Kit from Anastasia Beverly Hills seems to be popping up everywhere lately so I had to try it! The Contour Kit comes with three colors to highlight and three to use for contouring, all in one small, easy to travel with palette. It’s great for both personal and professional use so I can see why this appeals to so many people. The colors of the Contour Kit are great for almost everyone, though as someone with fair, neutral/cool skin, I had a hard time with most of these colors. I’m not sure this would work well on deeper skin either because it’s very matte and the contour colors are mostly warm. Anyone who is in between should find this palette easy to use, though. 

There are two highlight colors in this Contour Kit (Vanilla and Banana) that are perfect for under the eyes and for areas like the chin, top of the cheekbones, down the center of the nose, etc. Sand is a shimmery color that’s more for a highlight on the top of the cheekbones. The three contour colors are pretty basic shades for contouring and are usable for many skin tones, but may not make much difference if you’re pale/fair, and may be far too light if you have dark to deep skin. You’ll have to play around with these a bit to see which you like and what works best for you.

The texture for all of these is smooth and finely milled, so they’re easy to blend out. That’s a good thing too, since they’re all highly pigmented! Some of these do seem excessively powdery, though, which makes it feel like you’re wasting product. All of these colors but Sand are matte and wear well… For the contour colors, I got an average of 8-10 hours of wear before I noticed any fading. Same for the highlight colors, too. Sand only gave me 7-8 hours of wear before it began to fade but that’s understandable since it’s a shimmery color.

This Contour Kit also comes with a how-to insert that’s helpful for beginners, so that’s a plus if you’re just getting into contouring/highlighting, or if you just need some tips and reminders.

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Beautyblender vs. Kabuki Makeup Brush

I decided to jump on the bandwagon and pick myself up a Beautyblender Original Makeup Sponge. This product has been raved about for months, but I always thought "hmm, it's a sponge, it can't be that great, can it?" So here I am, a week into buying it and let me just say that old me was very silly, this product is definitely a must buy, but is it better than a foundation brush? Well, let me tell you my experience.

I have been using Kabuki Makeup Brush to apply my foundation for a long time so I thought it would be best to compare both these products.
PROFESSIONAL KABUKI MAKEUP BRUSH
I pump a few drops of foundation onto my hand and then apply it from my hand onto my face starting at my chin and going in an anti-clockwise direction around my face. When using my Kabuki Makeup Brush, I find it quite a quick task, I apply a moderately even base and I have okay coverage.

I do however, find it difficult to get the Kabuki Makeup Brush into little creases like the skin at the corner of my eyes or around my nose, I usually have to use my fingers to get good coverage on these areas. I also find it that sometimes the Kabuki Makeup Brush may leave brush lines on my face which is not a good look at all!

BEAUTYBLENDER
I apply with my Beautyblender in the same way as I do with my Kabuki Makeup Brush, by taking the product from the back of my hand. I press down the product into my skin with the Beautyblender which gives better coverage and avoids any brush strokes or lines.

The only problem I seem to have with my Beautyblender is that it is hard to apply product right under my eyes as I don't want to push the Beautyblender right into my eyes as it is dangerous and would most likely hurt very badly.

OVERALL
I definitely think Beautyblender wins this round and I am sure to be buying a load more, but of course I am still up for trying different brushes to do my foundation with.

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Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer: Rescue the Shiny Face

The words “matte rescue” are music to the ears of those with oily skin – and that includes me. I’m always in search of products to “rescue” my shiny face.

Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer instantly minimizes pore appearance. The lightweight, water-based gel overpowers shine and absorbs excess surface oil, leaving a natural-looking matte finish. Skin feels smooth and refreshed. Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer contains diamond powder known for its soft-focus pore-blurring effect.

I love Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer because…

§  It’s lightweight.

§  It’s water-based gel formula – great for oily skin!

§  There’s a cooling effect upon application.

§  Smells really good. This can be a downside to those who are sensitive to fragrance.

§  Sets quickly to a matte finish. Shine instantly disappears!

§  It holds make-up pretty well the entire day.

§  It’s a good makeup base for oily skin.

§  Didn’t cause me skin irritations or breakouts.

§  A little goes a long way.

§  My pores can breathe – doesn’t feel clogged.

Tips on Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer

§  Apply matte rescue all over your freshly cleansed face to instantly absorb oil.

§  To blur out pores, apply Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer on top.

§  It can be used alone or before makeup.

Yes, it instantly mattifies the skin once the product sets, but it doesn’t eliminate my need to blot. This doesn’t mean though that it doesn’t work. I noticed that it keeps oil at bay much longer – about 3 hours. Take note that without a primer, my face becomes shiny in just an hour (or less) after I apply my foundation. It also holds my makeup the entire day.

I recommend Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer to those who have oily skin and want an alternative from a silicone primer to control oil and to hold makeup. A separate primer must be used to blur out huge pores. Although Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer can blur out pores, mattify and hold makeup as well, not all are comfortable using silicone. I personally use Benefit POREfessional Primer for special occasions and for days I really need a heavy duty primer. For an everyday base, I’ll go for Benefit Porefessional Matte Rescue Primer.

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Evian Facial Spray: The Skin Water

The Evian Facial Spray  is probably the single most expensive bottle of water I've ever bought. Yes, it's just fancy water in a fancy aerosol can and not much else. I rather felt silly when I went home and unpacked it.

Well, I got the Evian Facial Spray because I've heard so many good things about this mist. It's supposed to make your makeup look more natural, and hydrate plus cool down your skin whenever you need it. In this heat, you can't say no to something like that!

I've been using this Evian Facial Spray for a few weeks now and I can say that it's useful. Is it a must-have? YES and it’s very handy to have around. Here's why:

• If your skin has a tendency to dry up during the latter part of the day (this can happen a lot if you're in a cold office), you can spritz a bit of Evian Facial Spray to literally water your skin. The humectants in your moisturizer and/or makeup will seal in the moisture from the water.
• It's so hot lately, and a great way to cool off is to spray a mist of water on your neck, hair, and face! You can put the Evian in the fridge beforehand for a real treat.

So what's stopping anyone from putting distilled mineral water into an atomizer and just, you know, use it like Evian Facial Spray? Absolutely nothing! The only thing that makes the Evian Facial Spray special is that it gives a very fine cloud of mist, so you're not doused with water like in other atomizers - That and the fact that you feel like a class act spraying Evian Facial Spray on your face.

Evian Facial Spray is pure mineral water with nitrogen as a main ingredient. Apparently, this gas helps propel the water when you spray it out of the bottle. This water also supposedly has a neutral PH balance. Overall, I actually like this product more than I let on.

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Banana Boat Ultramist: The Ultimate Sunscreen Weapon

Sunscreens are available in an endless array of sprays, lotions and creams, with sun protection factors (SPFs) that range from 15 to 100 and higher. Theoretically, SPF denotes how many times longer than usual a sunbather could stay in the sun without burning (so if you normally burn in 30 minutes, an SPF of 15 would prevent you from burning for 15 times as long). In reality, SPF claims are unrealistic, and experts say the improvement in protection between SPF 30 and SPF 100 is quite negligible.

It's important to look for broad-spectrum formulas because you need protection from both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are longer and penetrate the skin at deeper levels than UVB rays, causing long-term damage associated with signs of aging and skin cancer.

Banana Boat Ultramist Sport Performance Broad Spectrum Sun Care Sunscreen checks off the most important boxes for sunscreen: It's inexpensive, effective, easy to use and feels good on the skin. Available as a spray Banana Boat Ultramist includes an all-day moisturizer that contains aloe vera and antioxidants.

Banana Boat Ultramist offers broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. It's available in SPF 30. It meets SPF claims in expert tests and receives top marks for UVA and UVB protection. This version gets a moderately low overall health-risk rating.

Banana Boat Ultramist is easy to use. It goes on smoothly and is absorbed quickly. The sunscreen isn’t greasy and doesn’t leave the skin feeling sticky. It truly is moisturizing and feels nice. The sunscreen is fragrance free, invisible and rub-free. It’s also water resistant that can last up to 80 minutes.

I love the lightweight feel of Banana Boat Ultramist. It’s an excellent option for oily skin types who struggle to find a sunscreen that doesn’t feel heavy or greasy.

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Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil: The Ultimate Protection from the Sun

A day at the beach or laying poolside calls for a few essential items to throw into the beach bag. We’ve packed water bottles, towels, and sunscreen for our skin, but what about protection for our hair? It’s time to add another item to the list of ways to protect yourself: hair sunscreen. The Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil is a UV protection spray which aims to cleanse, protect and restore the hair from the damaging effects of the sun, salt and chlorine

Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil is a perfect product for summer, especially for those of us who are lucky enough to be jetting away somewhere that’s hot.

There are a few things which I like about Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil; the first is that the formula is full of botanicals. It is made up of wintergreen and cinnamon oils which help to minimize color fade, damage and dryness from the sun – which is an all too familiar experience, especially for those of us with colored hair. There are also green tea extracts, organic sunflower seed oil and vitamin E in the spray, all which help protect the hair against free radicals which cause damage to the hairs structure, meaning that it will aid in the fight against that disarrayed hair that you get after brushing. Finally, organic shea butter, coconut and palm oils condition and detangle the hair without weighing it down.

The second thing I like about Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil is that it has a lovely scent. It is a tropical blend of neroli, ylang-ylang and other flower and plant essences - all which combine to form a very refreshing and light scent that nobody could turn their noses up at.

Lastly, Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil comes in a handy sized bottle which makes it easy to throw into a bag without weighing it down – the last thing you need when lugging your other sun essentials - sun cream, sunglasses to the beach.

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Shaun T’s CIZE Dance Workout: Size Really Does Matter

Not everyone enjoys working out. Some people would rather do anything but spend an hour or two at the gym lifting weights and jogging in place on a treadmill. For those who want to get fit but need some sort of mental stimulation while doing it to keep from getting bored, CIZE Dance Workout could be the solution.

Brought to you by Shaun T, CIZE Dance Workout uses professionally choreographed routines spaced across three DVDs and 30 days—to help you get a dancer’s body and achieve your fitness goals. Shaun claims that each move for every routine is broke down step by step, so that you can work your way up at your own pace.

But most of all, CIZE Dance Workout is claimed to not only provide cardiovascular conditioning, core strengthening, and overall muscle toning, but also to help anyone lose weight while still having fun. Over the course of an hour, you can burn anywhere between 370 and 610 calories, depending on the type of dancing  you’re doing (e.g. hip hop, ballroom, country western, etc.), pace, and weight (generally, the heavier you are, the more calories you’ll burn).

Compare CIZE Dance Workout to other forms of high impact aerobic exercise, playing a game of basketball, golfing, running, and playing baseball, and you’ll see that dancing can definitely help boost your metabolism, although it falls in the middle of the pack as far as total calories burned.

For those who can spend an hour or two sweating over the same workout routine day in and day out, there’s no reason to look any further. And for those who have spent a great deal of their time dancing to their favorite hip hop songs and longing for this to be a “good enough” way to lose weight, listen up. CIZE Dance Workout provides the ability to use dance and fun activities to actually enhance your ability to lose weight and get fit.

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