Primer

Looking for last minute presents? Three great BCA holiday gift ideas

December 19, 2013

No, it’s not your imagination. The holidays are coming up faster than ever – there are actually six less shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year! If you are looking for last-minute gifts, consider gifts that give back. Estee Lauder sent the BIZ several fantastic gift items that are some of the most popular products from these EL lines. These Pink Ribbon items support The BCA Campaign’s mission to defeat breast cancer through education and medical research.

Give gifts that give back with BCA Pink Ribbon products

Here are three fantastic products that give back to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation ® (BCRF):

Darphin Silky Moisturizing Lotion

Darphin Silky Moisturizing Lotion swatch

For a difficult to buy for aunt or mom, consider DARPHIN Silky Moisturizing Lotion Essential Body Beauty, a gift that any woman would love. It’s a wonderfully silky lotion that has Hydra Structure^TM technology, which ‘harnesses the skin’s natural moisturizing ability, providing immediate and long-lasting hydration to help recapture the body’s baby soft skin.’ This lotion has elegant ingredients including Saltwort, French Lavender and Peach Leaf extracts, which do three things: hydrate the top layer of skin, replenish skin moisture at deeper levels, and provide a gentle exfoliation so skin is super smooth. This is $40, and Darphin donates $8.00 from every purchase to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

If you need something for a close girlfriend or for a Secret Santa exchange, check out the Pink Ribbon SMASHBOX: Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36.00; $5.00 to BCRF). This awesome primer works for every skin type, resulting in a flawless canvas for makeup. I adore the Pink Ribbon packaging and I also love what it does for skin. It fills in those fine lines and pores so skin looks younger and makeup looks better and lasts longer. Smashbox donates $5.00 from the purchase price to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. You can find this exclusively at ULTA Stores, www.ulta.com and at www.smashbox.com.

Estee Lauder Dream Solid Perfume Compact

Dream Solid Perfume Compact in Pleasures

Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness 2013 Dream Solid Perfume Compact in Pleasures

Wow this is just gorgeous. I am talking about the Evelyn Lauder Dream Collection item, Evelyn Lauder Dream Solid Perfume Compact($49.50; 100% to BCRF). The stunning Pink Ribbon design takes my breath away and inside is the iconic Pleasures fragrance. You can see the inside of the compact is inscribed, “Estée Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness 2013.” I wore this fragrance exclusively for years and years and having it again brought back so many memories. The design and the scent, combined with the fact that Estee Lauder gives 100% of the retail price to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, completely wowed me. Absolutely fantastic.

If your shopping isn’t finished yet, I really hope you will consider these gift ideas. The products are amazing and how wonderful to give a gift that also supports such a great cause. Happy holidays everyone! - Lisa

*pr samples

Filed Under: Body Lotion, Breast Cancer Awareness, Darphin, Estee Lauder, fragrance, Primer, Smashbox Leave a Comment

Tarte cosmetics for the weather win!

August 23, 2013

No longer a specialty item for makeup professionals, primer has come into vogue in the last decade and has seen a large spike in usage and availability to the well-made faces of the public. Makeup enthusiasts have to adapt to all sorts of environmental challenges to continue looking their best, and primer is a versatile product that should now be a staple of everyone’s makeup regimen.

tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer

Thinking of your face as a canvas, primer is the base coat of paint that serves as the anchor; it holds other products in place, makes it easier to correct mistakes or smudges and provides extra moisture or nutrients as needed. Your facial canvas needs to be as smooth as possible, and primer helps to achieve that. It fills in lines or enlarged pores on your face, creating a smooth surface for foundation and pigment. Applied after moisturizer, a thin layer will go a long way. On areas that tend to be oily, like the eyelid or nose, a primer will help the makeup adhere (tartecosmetics.com has an excellent eyelid primer containing mineral-rich Amazonian clay).

tarte eyeshadow primer now on sale at tartecosmetics.com

tarte amazonian clay eyeshadow primer now on sale at tartecosmetics.com

The best place to start is a general face primer. Choose one that fits your individual skin type, or look for one that is suitable for all skin types. The best face primers provide moisturization, anti-oxidants and vitamins in addition to smoothing your face canvas and helping makeup layers from sweating off or streaking. If you like, pick one that has an SPF, for extra protection from the elements.

If you’re switching to waterproof mascara for summer wear outdoors, a lash primer will provide many benefits. As waterproof mascara is formulated to not be easily removed with just water, it can be somewhat harsher on your lashes. A primer will not only help the mascara stick to your lashes and increase its efficacy, it will smooth the application process, reducing pulled lashes and general lash loss.

tarte multiplEYE lash enhancing primer

The multiplEYE Enhancing Primer from Tarte is a good example; it is specially formulated with proteins to assist in lash length and growth. Because of its staying power, waterproof mascara can be trickier to remove; combat this problem with a moisturizing eye makeup remover. Be sure to pick something that doesn’t leave a residue and is formulated for your skin type. Now get out and enjoy the rest of the summer!

*this article was written in cooperation with tarte cosmetics as a sponsored post

Filed Under: Primer, Tarte

Algenist Pore Corrector Anti-Aging Primer

August 10, 2013

Algenist Pore Corrector Anti-Aging Primer

Marcia still teases me about the time I wrote a post regarding my ‘Top Ten Primers‘. Who in the world would have so many primers she could pick a top ten??? Just me, I guess. Finding my first excellent primer was life-altering for me because for the very first time my makeup actually lasted all day.

My skin demands primer and I am constantly on a search for one that meets all my needs. Algenist sent the BIZ their Pore Corrector Anti-Aging Primer ($42) and I have permanently placed this on my list of top primers.

love the airless pump

This primer comes in an opaque airless pump which keeps the product integrity and effectiveness safe and sound. This does everything a great primer should do – it reduces the look of pores, creates a satin finish for easy makeup application, and it keeps that makeup in place and reduces fading throughout the day.

Ingredients include Alguronic Acid, which ramps up the anti-aging quotient. Algenist did a consumer use study with 100 women who used this primer just one time daily, before applying makeup. Here are the results…pretty impressive.

I am thrilled that over time it actually improves my skin – but I am even more thrilled with the immediate results of perfectly primed skin. And, of course, not looking like a sad clown with melted makeup at the end of the day is a huge plus!!

a perfect pearl of primer

The Pore Corrector Anti-Aging Primer has a beautifully lightweight texture that doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. While liquidy, it dries quickly and truly makes that beautiful canvas you need to happily play with all the rest of your cosmetics art supplies.

I have revised my list of Top Ten Primers, on which Algenist Pore Corrector Anti-Aging Primer now has a permanent place. This is definitely a primer worth checking out. - Lisa

*press sample

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Vinyl Dimethicone / Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Algae Exopolysaccharides, Lens Esculenta (Lentil) Fruit Extract, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Salicylic Acid, Squalane, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone / PEG-10 / 15 Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate / Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum).

Filed Under: Algenist, Primer

A trio of Tarte to save the day

August 8, 2013

I’m a procrastinator. I’ve improved a lot in the last few years but some tigers just don’t change their stripes, they just sort of fade. In my procrastination I forgot to give you the scoop on this great trio of products from Tarte. This is called their High Performance Naturals kit and it was a great deal. Unfortunately it’s sold out but the products are still available so I’ll try to redeem myself and tell you about these three: tarte Amazonian Clay BB Illuminating Moisturizer, Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara, and Clean Slate Poreless Primer.

tarte Amazonia Clay BB Illuminating Moisturizer

tarte Amazonian Clay BB Illuminating Moisturizer

tarte Amazonian Clay BB Illuminating Moisturizer is a combination moisturizer and BB Cream. In my BB Primer review I reviewed that in Fair which is extremely light and worked more as a primer than a BB Cream for me.What’s different about this BB Illuminating Moisturizer is that it’s thicker even though it’s a serum and gives me a little more coverage than the BB Primer did. It only comes in this one shade. I can wear this alone in the summer over a sunscreen or in combination with the BB Primer which contains SPF 30.

tarte Amazonian Clay BB Illuminating Moisturizer

In the set there is also the Tarte Clean Slate Poreless 12 hr+ Perfecting Primer. Now I’d give anything to have a truly poreless appearance but that’s not going to happen. Instead I have to be satisfied with using a product like this Perfecting Primer to help refine the appearance of my pores. This is a matte base which helps hide my pores more than a shiny one.

Tarte Clean Slate Poreless 12 hr+ Perfecting Primer

a drop of the Clean Slate Poreless Primer

This primer not only helps keep your makeup in place for up to 12 hours of perfect wear time, but also refines the appearance of pores and diffuses fine lines and imperfections while delivering natural fruit-and plant-derived extracts to deliver antiaging and skin-restorative benefits to your skin. It refines the appearance of pores and diffuses fine lines and masks imperfections. Just one application leaves skin looking instantly smoother, softer, and refined.

Last in the trio was one of tarte’s great mascaras, Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara. I’ve used this before and actually was wearing it in one of my Makeup Wars looks from Fall 2012. I loved using the mascara so having this mini was a fun reminder of how great it is.

Makeup Geek Poison Ivy and Dirty Martini with Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara

This is the only mascara that Tarte makes that uses their miracle ingredient Amazonian Clay. What’s also different about the Gifted mascara is that it’s meant to be a healthy mascara. It helps increase lash volume as well as rebuilding and strengthening your lashes. It prevents lash loss as well as promotes lash health.

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara

While this didn’t give me the biggest lashes in the world, it did give me a fuller longer lash look. It never smudged nor did it flake. I used the original for the full 3 months and only gave it up because I try not to use mascaras for longer. An added bonus about Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara is that Tarte gives back and so can you: with every gifted mascara purchase, you are helping support the Tarte-sponsored sustainable-harvest cooperatives in the Amazon.

While I can’t tempt you with the original set I hope I was able to tell you about 3 great products from Tarte. One of the many reasons we love Tarte on Beauty Info Zone is that we believe in their policies as well as love that they are cruelty free and care about sustaining the world. Now back to my procrastination — Marcia

*samples sent for review

Filed Under: BB cream, Mascara, Moisturizer, Primer, Tarte

tarte introduces BB Tinted Treatment Primer

June 21, 2013

tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer

I don’t know whether to tell you tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer is a primer or a BB Cream or even a sunscreen. It’s actually a triple wonder since it’s all of those things. It’s multi-tasking at its best. First of all it’s considered a BB Cream with the properties that go hand in hand with BB creams: primer, moisturizer, light foundation, anti-aging treatment, and sunscreen. Second it can be used as a Primer alone under any foundation you choose. Third it has Broad Spectrum SPF 30.

tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer

Depending on the shade you choose tarte BB Tinted Treatment is a BB Cream and you won’t have a need for any other foundation or BB Cream with it. I was sent this in Fair which is extremely fair and it’s almost white on me even though it blends in like a dream. But it’s too light for me to wear alone. Instead I treat this as a combination Primer and Sunscreen.

It’s great for me under a powder foundation since it takes the place of me adding layers of products underneath. The sunscreen in it is Broad Spectrum SPF 30. I’ve also worn it under liquid foundation and BB Creams to give my skin a flawless finish.

tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer

BB Tinted Treatment comes in 4 shades (fair, light, medium and tan) for $34. The tube is 1 oz/30 ml but I need so little that it’s going to last me until next summer easily.

from ulta.com

The pros as I see them:

- It’s extremely smooth and fills in pores

- I love that it’s so lightweight especially for summer

- It doesn’t bother people with sensitive skin

- It evens out skin imperfections

- Tarte is so tarte! There are no parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, synthetic fragrances or sodium laurel sulfate in their products

- On the tarte website it scores 4.7 out of 5 with 142 reviews – a lot of people love this!

The cons in my opinion:

- It contains silicone which doesn’t work for everyone

- Even with 4 shades you might have trouble finding a match

- A personal con is that for the very first time the Fair shade is actually too light so I can only use this as a base and not as a BB Cream.

Here is tarte’s description: Indulge and nourish your skin with tarte’s innovative BB tinted treatment which offers multiple skincare and makeup benefits in one eco-chic tube. This powerfully pure formula not only works as a skin-soothing treatment, but as a moisturizer, sunscreen, primer and foundation that visibly improves skin’s overall appearance for a youthful-looking glow. This 12-hour longwear, anti-aging, oil-free tinted treatment primer offers light-to-medium buildable coverage that helps even skin tone and conceals discoloration, acne and other skin imperfections. The creamy, silky formula goes on smooth, hydrates skin and blends easily leaving you with a natural, flawless finish while the broad-spectrum, chemical-free SPF 30 offers ideal protection from the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays.

If you’re still searching for a BB Cream then this is one to definitely put on your list. tarte is known for being a natural company and one you can trust. This is available at both Ulta and Sephora so stop in or check it out online for something special. — Marcia

*sample sent for review

Filed Under: BB cream, Primer, Tarte

No. 50 Serum Collagen Veil Anti-Aging Primer by IT Cosmetics

June 16, 2013

Well, that product name sure is a mouthful – No. 50 Serum Anti-Aging Collagen Veil Primer ($48). It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, does it?? The name might be long but it describes all of the wonderful things about this serum/primer that IT Cosmetics sent to the BIZ. It has 50+ key ingredients, including 10 essential oils and butters, 10 nourishing botanicals, 30 fruit and plant-based extracts plus antioxidents and vitamins like Vitamins A, B5, C, and E.

IT Cosmetics No. 50 Serum Collagen Veil Anti-Aging Primer

This amazing product has peptides, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen, silk and niacin working together to brighten the skin and reduce the appearance of pores. In fact, this serum/primer has been clinically proven to brighten and tighten pores after only 10 days of wear. What else does this wonder product do? It soothes and comforts skin, fights free radicals, and it’s clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles after 10 days of wear.

Pump or dropper? Your choice!

Jamie Kern Lima, the creator of IT Cosmetics, says, “This primer is truly like baby skin in a bottle! No. 50 Serum Anti-Aging Collagen Veil Primer is truly a powerhouse for your skin, with more than 50 anti-aging and hydrating ingredients including peptides, essential lipid-rich oils, vitamins, extracts and botanicals it’s like a heavenly veil of collagen on your skin, and your skin just drinks it up. It doesn’t leave that greasy slippery feeling like most primers…it really is like baby skin in a bottle, I can’t wait for you to experience this on your skin!”

IT Cosmetics No. 50 Serum/Primer swatch

I find this serum/primer leaves my skin feeling very soft and hydrated. Daily use does result in improved appearance of pores and fine lines. My skin looks and feels healthier in general.

However… I only use this as a serum. I don’t find it works for my skin as a primer. If you don’t really need a primer or if you like a very light one, this will definitely work as both a serum and a primer for you. But if you are like me and find your skin needs more help to get it prepped for foundation, you will want a separate primer.

The serum is a silky, smooth liquid that goes on wet but sinks in quickly. You have a choice of using either the pump (my preference) or the included dropper. I use this as a serum for my face and neck every morning and then as my serum/moisturizer at night.

I think this is a terrific serum at a very reasonable price. It doesn’t work as a primer for me, but it might be just what you are looking for. It’s another winning product from an incredible cosmetics line. - Lisa

*pr sample

Filed Under: IT Cosmetics, Primer, Serums

The latest and greatest from Kryolan Cosmetics

February 21, 2013

A few weeks ago, I had dinner with Ulrike Bege, District Manager for Kryolan Cosmetics, and got the scoop on all the latest and greatest new things. Kryolan is a fantastic line that has products for both everyday use and for theatrical use. Did you know that the majority of Illamasqua products are actually produced by Kryolan? I am going to the Face & Body Expo in Chicago next month where I will be stocking up on the newest things, but in the meantime here is a quick glimpse of what’s to come:

Eyeshadow Primer

This is the new, reformulated Eyeshadow Primer. It feels super silky on, and it really brightens up the color of eyeshadows.

Makeup Blend

Ulrike showed me her bottle of Makeup Blend - this is not the ‘official’ packaging. I went bananas over this! It’s a silky liquid that thins out cream and liquid foundation. It helps foundation last, and it gives a beautiful matte finish. So it gives old products new life (turn liquid foundation into tinted moisturizer! Or thin out that too-thick cream foundation!) It also saves money as you use less product when combined with Makeup Blend. I can’t wait to get my own bottle.

HD Micro Primer

HD Micro Primer feels so amazing on, Ulrike was laughing at me because I was simply swooning over this. WOW it feels amazing! As all primers do, it minimizes pores and fine lines and makes skin smooth. This has a small amount of silicone so it feels extremely silky, but not too slick. It is to die for.

High Gloss lip gloss

The High Gloss lip glosses are spectacular. The amount of pigmentation is fantastic, and the mouth feel is just perfect – not sticky, and not so slick as to wear off after ten minutes. The colors? Amazing.

I sat at our booth swatching away as Ulrike munched on her salad, giggling at my delight. But hey, what can I say, shimmer makes me shiver!!

a quick view of the swatches

Everything was stunning and there is so much I am looking forward to! I plan to get a full range of these products in March and I will share everything after I try them all for a while. Until then, I will be dreaming of Kryolan! – Lisa

Filed Under: eyeshadow primer, Kryolan Cosmetics, Primer

Looking for last minute presents? Three great BCA holiday gift ideas

Tarte cosmetics for the weather win!

Algenist Pore Corrector Anti-Aging Primer

A trio of Tarte to save the day

tarte introduces BB Tinted Treatment Primer

No. 50 Serum Collagen Veil Anti-Aging Primer by IT Cosmetics

The latest and greatest from Kryolan Cosmetics

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