BareMinerals Review - Concealer Options

Concealer in small amounts is my friend. I use it on my chin, two dark areas to the sides of my chin, above my eyebrows, on my dark eye circles, and sometimes around my nose depending on how red it looks. Being allergy-licious, I,be found that two products work well and don't cause an allergic reaction.

I've tried two options for concealer from BareMinerals - the powder/mineral Multi-Tasking Concealer (in Bisque) and the cream/solid Correcting Concealer (in Medium 2). Both can be applied with a small concealer brush. I found the cream to work better for me - the powder didn't seem to provide good coverage.

Mineral Powder and Cream Cancellers from BareMinerals

I think for someone with less redness the powder may work well though. You really have to play around and see what works well for you.

Less is best. BareMinerals is all about the make under as opposed to the make over. The goal is to enhance what you've already got, not transform you into a starlet (although it is possible with BareMinerals). With powder, dip your brush in the minerals and tap it out until you only see powder, no mineral chunks on your brush. Using a circular motion rub the powder over problem spots. With the solid/creme again less is best and be sure to blend. Don't forget dark eye circles and the inside of the eye/bridge of the nose! We always forget to conceal there but it is part of the "dark circle area."

Don't forget concealer in this spot here

What is your experience with BareMinerals concealers? What tips do you have for using concealer in your makeup routine? Comment below and let us know! 

The views expressed in this post are my own and are based upon experiences with products that I have purchased, not products that were given to me for review. I am in no way associated with Bare Minerals - I simply review products that I find useful.

Bare Minerals Review - Moisturizer and Prime Time BB Primer Cream

Today I'm going to share a little bit of my skin care routine.

Every day after washing my face I dry it and apply Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer. I use the combination skin formula because I have oil in the "t-zone" but dry patches elsewhere.

Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer

I have tried a lot of moisturizers but most had synthetic scents that caused my allergies to act up. This has a scent to it, and I can't quite place it, but it doesn't cause an allergic reaction. And my dry parts (cheeks especially) seem to enjoy it - no more rough or dry patches. And my oily areas aren't any more oily from using it.

Post moisturizer

The next thing I do is apply Bare Minerals Prime Time BB Primer (in medium). If you're trying to decide between Medium and Light, I would say look at the most colored or darkest areas of your face - if they're light, go with Light. I chose Medium because I've found most Light products to be too light for me and I look pale with them.

Prime Time BB Primer Cream

Take one pump of the Primer and rub it between your hands for a bit - warm it up and allow for easier application (a trick I learned from Bare Minerals YouTube videos). Apply all over the face. You don't need a lot - less is better so it doesn't look "cakey."

After Primer

Now if you're going for a stay and home look, nothing fancy, you can simply finish there. Your skin looks even toned and you don't need other products. In another post I'll write about full makeup application, but for me, for a Saturday around the house, I'd add mascara (Bare Minerals Lash Domination) and some Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss. In the photo below I'm wearing Future Star for the lip. And I'm done!

With Mascara and Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss

What do you think? Have you tried Bare Minerals moisturizer or BB Primer? Share your experiences below.

All of these reviews are my own personal experiences with products I purchased and used myself. I was not compensated for these reviews, did not receive products to review, and am not associated with Bare Minerals.

Bare Minerals Review - Lash Domination Mascara

I've recently started changing over my overflowing makeup drawer to all Bare Minerals products. I recently reviewed their powder eye shadow here and now I'm moving on to my second necessary beauty item: mascara.

 

 

For a quick recap, I'm an allergy monster. Flowers, pet dander, mold, dust, pollen of all sorts...they are my foes. I recently realized that synthetic scents in makeup messed with me as well, so I tried Bare Minerals products to see if I could keep up my love for makeup without the allergic reaction.

 

 

While I have "good" lashes, they're not very dark so I've always been one for good mascara. I ordered Bare Minerals Lash Domination which is one of the many mascaras they offer. Being me, I immediately put it on straight out of the package and did my typical "Wait for it..." for the allergic reaction.

 

 

And...nothing. I had beautiful, well-defined lashes with none of the typical allergy behaviors (runny nose, watery eyes, etc.). I'm sold. After two weeks of use, I'm still in love.

 

 

Look at those lashes!

If you typically have allergic reactions to eye makeup, I highly suggest you try Bare Minerals. They offer starter sets on their website for lower prices than the full sized product, so you can try it out without much investment.

Do you curl? If you do, start at the base of the lashes and curl, then move outwards and curl again, doing this multiple times. Don't simply curl once. When applying mascara, start with the bottom lashes first - otherwise if you start with the top lashes, when you go to apply the bottom lashes you'll get "those dots" on your upper lid as you raise your eyebrows (and make the "O" face) to apply to the bottoms. Start on your lashes closes to your nose and move outwards. Move away from the eye (so downwards for the bottom lashes, upwards for the tops) and away from the eye to avoid clumps and lashes sticking together. Applying two or more coats of mascara can open up the eye and decrease the look of tired eyes so feel free to apply and apply!

Have you tried Bare Minerals mascara? Which formulation is your favorite? What mascara tips do you have for us?


These views are my own after my experience with this product. I was not paid for this review nor was I provided with free products. I purchased all products mentioned in this review myself.

Bare Minerals Review - Eyeshadow for The Scent Allergic

I have always had a love/hate relationship with makeup: I love to buy it, but my allergies hate when I wear it. I have literally bought a new product, opened it, and my nose started to run - no application needed! I had finally resigned myself to the fact that it I wanted to wear it, I was going to take allergy medication as well.

A few weeks ago a friend and I took a trip to a day spa. The massage therapist told me I was most likely allergic to synthetic scents after she heard my makeup story. She suggested I try fragrance free products.

If you've searched for fragrance free products, you know what came next. I looked in all the regular "haunts" and came up mostly empty. Then I saw Bare Minerals advertised in a magazine. I knew that boutique-type makeup would be more expensive, but I was willing to give it a go.

My skin is relatively clear (although I have issues with redness in some areas), so I always try out eye makeup first. I assume that if I can't wear your eye shadow without issues, then the rest of the line is pointless. And I love eye shadows. I love color.

I went to a local store that sold Bare Minerals and picked out some neutral shadow - a quad with colors I could wear on a daily basis. 

The Happy Place quad from Bare Minerals

I came home and applied color and waited for an allergic reaction - runny nose, itchy eyes, my eyelids feeling tired, anything. And...nothing. I wore it for the rest of the day. No allergic reaction. I wore it every day for a week and had no issues. I was ecstatic...and scared. This could be the beginning of a new addiction.

Just look at the eyes, ignore the hair...

One thing I especially love is Bare Minerals' YouTube channel - how-to videos galore. I like to watch them for ideas and for suggestions for new products to try.

 

 

 

If you tend to "lose" your eye shadow throughout the day, try some primer. Bare Minerals' Prime Time Eyelid Primer is a great product (and is on sale on their website for $12 right now). Prime your lid by using your finger tips, a cotton swab, or a makeup brush to apply primer to the lower lid. Let it dry. Apply a neutral base color all over the lid - this is what eye quads are great for - use the lightest color. If you have a duo (two colors) apply the lighter color on the lid and brow bone. Apply your darkest color to the crease of your eye (between the lid and brow, the part that goes in when your eye is open). If you have a quad, you can take your two darkest colors and layer them in the crease and blend or use one above the crease and one in the crease. There are a ton of "how to apply eye shadow" videos out there - feel free to do a search and experiment with what looks best for your eyes.

 

If you need makeup with no synthetic scents which works for sensitive skin and allergies, be sure to try Bare Minerals. The available options in terms of colors and products are truly amazing. Next up I'll try their Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara.

All reviews are my own opinions for products that I purchased myself. I was not paid for this review, I was not provided with products, and I am not associated with Bare Minerals. These are simply my experiences with the product.

What We Learned (March 23, 2014 edition)

It's already almost the end of March! Can you believe it? Each week the Mamas write about their experiences and what they learned. See what Robyn, Lisa, and Liz learned about this week and add in your things you learned or found awesome in the comments!

Robyn: I've learned that having a psychologist as a friend is a good thing when you start seeing a clinical psychologist. Let me clarify. Mama Liz has her doctorate. I don't look to her to solve any of my problems, or help me cope. She is, however, a great listener for when I need an ear. As I told her how the first appointment went, and what the plan was, she said 'I like him'. Score! I'm getting advice from someone good who knows their stuff. Sweet, Thanks Liz!

Gluten free isn't all that bad. My stomach has been whack for years. I would have doubling over stomach pains as a teenager, and even had gotten seen by a gastroenterologist. He claimed sugar was the problem. However, I gave up gluten on Monday this week. Within 2 days, I felt so much better. And I even lost a pound! Double score! 

Lastly, I've learned that apple cider (the beer kind, not the holiday treat) is pretty damn good. After the kids went to bed, dad and I decided to celebrate and be festive with green ones. Be warned though, they have 200 calories a pop! 

Lisa:
1. I went out to meet a couple of girlfriends, who happen to be mamas of 'ausome' kids. We've been friends for a while now, since all our kids were diagnosed at the same time. It was so refreshing to be out, speak with adults, and talk about your reality without being judged. It really energized me!! Me time needs to happen more often.

2. It was 69 degrees and sunny, so naturally, I let the kids go wild and play in the backyard. They stayed out all day with breaks for food and potty only. It is heavenly! They're tired in a good way, got some sun, and got any extra energy out. Win-win!! Bad thing: snow on Monday. Sigh....sucks

3. My kids FaceTimed with their cousins in Milwaukee. It was so nice to catch up like that with the kids, my sister-in-law and her hubby too. We haven't been able to travel to see them, so it was awesome. Also, the cuteness was too much!! Fun times!

Liz:
1) I learned that my almost 4-year-old really can't be trusted to "act well" on his own accord. When I was "taking a nap" with Silas he didn't sleep (although apparently I did) and he got up and got into my makeup. The brand new Sephora/Bare Minerals makeup I bought last week? Messed up. He stuck his finger in the foundation stick and almost emptied the loose powder all over the floor (and covered it up with a towel). Then the next night he snuck out of his room while he was supposed to be sleeping and grabbed two of my lipsticks off my bed side table - the next morning I found lipstick all over his quilt. It's time for a lockable makeup box apparently.

2) My laptop has been acting funky for a while now - whenever it "fell asleep" I couldn't get it to wake back up and had to restart it. I was getting really frustrated and was researching new laptops and looking into places to get a Mac fixed. While I was searching for places to bring my Mac I also looked up the "symptoms" and found that all the problems it was having were symptoms of problems with the SMC (system management control). I searched on that and found an easy way to fix that myself. I followed the instructions and it worked! I haven't had to do a hard reset on my computer since I fixed it. I'm hoping things stay that way because I really don't want to get a new laptop or take mine in to be fixed.

3) Last week during my Spring Break I started watching Scandal, a show that everyone has always told me I would like. Well, it has this addictive quality to it, almost so much that, like, I wanted my kids to go outside so I could put it on (because I don't think it's appropriate to watch while they're around). Mike was all eye rolley and making fun of me for getting sucked into a night time soap opera. He'd even ask me, "Did you watch your soap opera today?" One night I asked if he wanted to sit down and watch an episode with me, and he agreed. Now we watch one episode on Netflix of "my soap opera" together after the boys have gone to bed. We're almost finished with Season 2 which means I'll have to find Season 3 somewhere (Hulu Plus?) so that by the time Season 4 starts we will be up to date and be able to watch with everyone else on #ScandalThursdays. I have to say I love that many of the actors live tweet during the East Coast premier of a new show.

Now you! What did you learn? Comment below and let us know.

What We Learned (March 16, 2014 edition)

Were your kids on break this week? After a fun week at home, the Mamas have a lot to write about. Well, Lisa wasn't at home, she was visiting family in Puerto Rico. So what did we learn this week?


Liz:
1) I had the week off for Spring Break so I enjoyed a few new things. First, I started watching Scandal on Netflix. I don't know how many people have told me, "You should watch it, you'd love it," and I've ignored them because I don't have time for another show. But this week I did. So I watched all of season 1 and half of season 2 so far and I am addicted. Love Olivia Pope.

2) I went away for a night with my amazing friend Michelle. We went to a hotel and spa near the house, but it was awesome to get away just for 18 hours. We had dinner, talked about purses and girly things, and I had my first massage. It was fantastic. I'm totally going again. And Mike and the kids didn't destroy the house while I was gone!

3) As I've talked about before, I'm a makeup lover. I have a ton of it but most of it I can't wear without taking allergy pills because it makes my eyes water, my nose run, and my head fill up (fun!). I was talking to the massage therapist and she said that most likely I was allergic to synthetic scents (as opposed to essential oils) and that I should look at makeup that didn't use synthetic scents to see how those did with my allergies. I went to Sephora (which I have decided is the devil) and am now in lust with Bare Minerals products.

Robyn:

1. I've learned that spending time getting done up is worth the hassle. My husband followed me into the gas station on Thursday night and said 'Wow, babe, there's not a swinging dick in this place that didn't notice when you walked in the door.' Damn straight! 

2. We took Reagan to SeaWorld for the first time, and she was amazed at the Azul show. (Dolphins, beluga whales, and synchronized swimmers). I'm looking forward to picnics in the park, and the hot days of summer at the baby water park! 

3. I've learned that spring break meant projects and hard work this week. The hubby fixed house stuff like drywall, texture, and painted. He repaired the wood on the front door and most importantly installed a back storm door that I've been asking for. As I get older, 'things' that are done for us are more important that gifts. Unless it's from Michael Kors. Then, it's debatable. 

Lisa:
1. Banshee decided that she would play a joke on me. She stuck her hands in cold water, waited for me to pull out an arm out of the covers and then....she attacked. I thought I was dying in a frozen wasteland. It. Was. Awesome. Yesterday's hippotherapy must have done miracles again for her to play a joke. It certainly taught us to appreciate all the little things again. Wow!

2. I realized how easy it is to jump back into a routine after it's been interrupted. For the girls, the trip to Puerto Rico was magical and they are not liking the cold weather right now. For me, despite hating the weather with a passion, it has been ok. I finished chores quickly in order to rest. It felt great to get it done so I could relax and get this cold over with.

3. I also learned that my kids are definitely growing up. I've been asked to teach Pixy to tie shoelaces. So, we've been working on that. Sigh! What next? Am I gonna have to teach her to use the curling iron? Sheesh! Stay tuned for a progress report on the shoelace thing. 😉

What about you? What fun things did you do, see, or learn? Share with us in the comments.

Review: New York Color HD Trio Eye Shadow

First let me start off by telling you I received this product complimentary from Influenster to review. I always want to tell people that before doing a review, but I also want you to know that my reviews are my own views on the product (not a sponsored post).

So let's talk makeup. You've seen that I have a penchant for purchasing already, so when I received the NYC HD Trio Eye Shadow in Long Beach Sands I was excited to try it out. One thing that I really liked about this line is that it came in all of the shades that fit the current season's colors. So not only can you get neutral colors that you can wear every day, but you can also get Trio sets that fit with the current fashion trends.

I'm always weary of eye makeup because my eyes are sensitive and a lot of times different products can make my allergies act up horribly. Many times it's the fragrance that sets off my allergies. No worries with the HD Trio - it's fragrance free. It's also infused with vitamins A and E and green tea extract, all of which are beneficial for your skin.

For those who aren't working with makeup every day, each Trio comes with suggestions for where to wear which color (lid, brow, crease) and when you follow those guidelines it looks great! The colors I received were muted which is good for me since I usually don't, you know, go out clubbing or spend time out at night at all. I can wear this to work and feel confident that it will stay with me all day and look professional. And at $2.99 per Trio, you could buy all 12 without breaking the bank. Win! I wanted to look at more colors so I found them at Target and Walgreens. They're easy to find, inexpensive, but long-wearing. I definitely suggest that you try these out.
-Liz

#JollyVoxBox from Influenster

As a member of Influenster, an online product review community, I (Liz) am eligible to receive VoxBoxes full of goodies to try out and review. This month I was excited to see that I would receive the #JollyVoxBox, a box of goodies for the holiday season.

Here was my box when it arrived. So cute!

#JollyVoxBox in my tree!

Here's my unboxing video (where I take a video of myself opening and oohing and ahhing over the gems inside).

Ooh goodies to try and to play with!

So what's going on this month with the VoxBox? Well let me tell you - and don't worry, you'll see more about these products in the coming months in different posts and on social media.

Skinny Cow Divine Filled Chocolates (Peanut Butter Creme) - I received my box yesterday and hadn't touched these yet, but after dinner today I just really wanted a little chocolate. A LITTLE. So I thought, heyyyyy! I opened the box and took out one package. Each package has three squares (not so little really) and each package is 130 calories. As soon as I tore the paper open a magical wonderland of chocolate and peanut butter smells emerged. I'm not joking. And they tasted just as good as they looked. I did an Instavideo about it, but you can't see me because...well...I really need to dye my hair LoL Follow Skinny Cow on Twitter and on Facebook for coupons and surprises!

Ducklings Mini Rolls - Seriously, I thought, baby Duck Tape? In turquiose leopard print? Um, awesome! I've coveted the mustache large tape for months so I was excited to see this. Now what to do with it. I'm thinking about using some just to wrap presents because my 3 year old has already started trying to open them (not yet Little Dude). Follow The Duck Brand on Twitter and Facebook for more fun.

Rimmel London Show Off Lip Lacquer - Did someone at Influenster know I was a makeup hoarder? If not, they certain sent this and the next item to the right person. Hello lover, a new lip product you say? Don't mind if I do. I received Aurora as my color. Watch for photos soon. Follow Rimmel for beauty tips on Twitter and Facebook.

New York Color (NYC) HD Color Trio Eye Shadow - Again, you had me at "makeup." I received the Long Beach Sands colors which are fitting for the season because, shocker, they're part of this season's fashion pallet. You know I love me some makeup, so I will be sure to share with you my experiences with this gem. Follow NYC on Twitter and Facebook for more beauty suggestions and eye-popping options.

Puffs Plus Lotion - Did someone call Influenster and tell them my house was the Fifth Circle of Cold Hell this week? If not, they're psychic (or they know it's cold season). Whatever the reason, these tissues are worth their money in gold. Both kids will allow me to wipe/blow with them when other tissues (and TP) just weren't cutting it. "I yike that wipe," Silas told me. Good enough for me. Let's buy stock. Follow Puffs on Twitter and Facebook for coupons and "stay away cold!" suggestions.

I'm off to play with my products - wait did that sound bad?

Which of these products sound the most interesting or useful to you?

Loving Julep Products!

If you've been reading the blog for the past two months, you know that I (Liz) love makeup like it's my job. My recent favorite spot to shop is Julep. They offer amazing products - great nail colors, fantastic skin products, and right now everything is 50% off! What?!

Julep Friends & Family Event - 50% off!

What a great way to stock up for yourself or for Christmas gifts!

What have I received recently from Julep that I love?

Well, there's the Halloween sets (candy corn and black crackle polish with red underneath), along with the Strawberry Mint Lip Balm. The nail colors look great and I'm excited to use them in the coming weeks for fall-themed nail designs. The Lip Balm is a bit melty - something I fixed by putting it in the freezer for a bit.

Halloween sets and lip balm

Below is the November "Classic with a Twist" Maven box along with add ons. I ordered the Blank Canvas Pumping Lip Primer and the Clean Slate Polish Remover pads in addition to my Maven box which had "Sheila" and "Cynthia" nail colors along with the new lip gloss in "Glowing."

I have to say I love the Polish Remover pads. They come in little packets with ten rectangles of polish remover. You soak the nail and then rub, and poof! Color be gone! Ready to add a new one!

When I ordered my first Maven box it took almost 2 weeks to get to me (it was shipped through DHL) and I know a lot of people were unhappy with the shipping and the time it took. This month I was emailed the notice that it shipped Monday and I received my box Thursday, so I'm hoping that shipping has changed for the better.

November Maven box with add-ons

This is me with the Lip Primer and "Glowing." One of the great things about the Lip Primer is it can be worn alone or under your choice of lip color. It's lightly tinted and shines alone, and feels really nice even without color over it.

Lip Primer with "Glowing"

Have you tried Julep products? Which are your favorites? If you order before November 4th remember to use code GOCRAZY for 50% off!

I Admit It, I'm Addicted to...

Everyone's got their thang but at least we can admit it right? Today the Mamas talk about their little dirty (or not so dirty) secret. Give it up ladies! What's your poison?

So much makeup...so little time.

Liz: If you know me, if you see me every day, I'm rockin' the t-shirt and jeans and sneakers (since flip flops have been banned due to lack of support). My hair's all frizzy (thanks to natural curls and Texas' humidity and random rain), and maybe, just maybe, I have some earrings on. What you wouldn't see is my makeup collection. Wait, what?! I am a makeup collector. I have two drawers and a basket on the sink of this stuff. Primer, base, foundation, eyeshadow (powder and other sorts), eyeliner, mascara, eyebrow color, eyelash curler...the list goes on. Nail polish like you wouldn't believe. Sparkle and glitter galore. Professional brush kits. Most of this stuff barely sees the light of day. But I keep buying it. Why?! Because it's just so pretty! And one day (never) I will wear it.

Robyn: I kiss other people a LOT. Wait, that came out wrong. I kiss my family a lot. Hello, goodbye... just because. The boys' heads, Reagan's cheeks and I can't resist my hubby's lips. It's not actually the kissing I'm addicted to. It's what happens afterwards. To my lips that is. They always end up dry. Not like flaky, and peeling (Gross!). But it's just that feeling when I know something needs to be on them. Like a pre-emtive dryness. Like a lip pick me up, if you will. Yes, world, I am addicted to Chapstick.

We be book people

Lisa: My addictions are kind of boring. I am a bibliophile, so I love having books of all kinds all over the place, and yes they do get read/loved many times. I also collect elephant figurines because in my culture, if you put elephant statues with their butts facing the front door, it brings good luck into the home. I have also, since forever, collected dolphin figurines. I love dolphins so much, I even got a tattoo of them! Pisces and dolphins=great mix!! 

So what's your thing? What do you collect? What fills the nooks and crannies of your abode?