Saturday, September 28, 2013

Blissoma- Natural, Effective, Fabulous!

     I've used a number of Blissoma products, and across the board there hasn't been a single dud in the bunch. Using ingredients that are natural, organic, free of chemicals and nasty byproducts that are then put together by a woman with an education in actual chemistry, what you are left with as an end product is genuine nutrition for your skin. In fact, all of the products with the exception of the deodorants are even certified vegan.


My skin has become ragingly sensitive over the years, reactive redness, rosacea, ad infinitum. Adaptive Energy Tonique leaves my skin feeling balanced and soothed. I use it after washing my face and it prepares my skin for my serum and moisturizer. It's also fabulous during the day to revive my makeup (and my psyche.) In the mornings it's bright subtle scent is a great way to start the day. My last rosacea flare up, I actually kept this by my side so that any time I began to get itchy I could spray this on my face and stave off the desire to claw my face open like a rabid hyena.


Skin Type: Sensitive, Demanding                    100% Vegan - 100% Natural

This Adaptive Energy Tonique provides a clean burst of highly absorbant, water-based botanicals and nutrients to facial skin - like an health drink you can spray.

The base is a specially prepared infusion of fresh organic cantaloupe. It brings Vitamin A, B3, B6 and potassium to our blend as well as a fresh melon aroma. 

Organic Rhodiola, Holy Basil, and Red Clover help skin respond to internal and external stressors, process environmental pollutants, and hormonal fluctuations. Organic Calendula helps heal blemishes, synthesize collagen, and soothe irritations.

Apply:
Spray directly onto facial skin after cleansing, mask treatments, or anytime during the day to give skin a boost of hydration and high functionality. Allow to absorb and then moisturize. Can also be used to set mineral makeups.
Each 4 oz container is approximately a 2 month supply.

Made of:
Water, Infusion of Rhodiola rosea*, Ocimum sanctum* (holy basil), Trifolium pratense* (red clover), Lonicera japonica* (honeysuckle), Calendula officinalis*, and Avena sativa* (oatstraw), Cucumis melo (cantaloupe) Infusion*, Grain Alcohol*, Aloe barbadensis Juice*, Essential oils of Pelargonium roseum (rose geranium) and Citrus bergamia (bergamot) FCF, citronellol**, geraniol**, linalool**, limonene**
*from Certified Organic Agriculture
**natural components of essential oils

Herbal Gel Cleanser & Makeup Remover is downright miraculous. Again with my sensitive skin- this causes no irritation at all. Some makeup removers leave my skin with a bit of a burning or stinging sensation that luckily subsides pretty quickly most of the time, but it still sucks. No such problems here, it actually feels quite nice and like the toner is also quite soothing, even during a flare up. But the kicker is, it actually WORKS. Super gentle, yet somehow it removes even stubborn eye makeup with ease (and if you ever have watched my videos, you know I loves me some eye makeup!) The toner test afterwards shows that your skin is super clean with no residue clinging to your skin. Despite cleansing so thoroughly, it doesn't leave your skin feeling dried out and doesn't alter your skin's ph balance. Score!

Skin Type: Ultra Sensitive, Eye Area, Oily/Problem, All types and ages 
100% Vegan - 100% Natural

Free is a duo-purpose, restorative gel cleanser for when you need to remove difficult makeup and all the day's dirt in one easy, healing wash. 

Free is the ideal match for the most reactive and allergic skin types due to it's super pure, simple, and elegant botanical construction. Its ingredients may be easy to understand, but don't underestimate the uniqueness of how they work together. Together in this beautifully balanced gel herbs, soapbark, and gentle organic oils come together to rinse skin clean and balance it all at once. 

Organic, food-grade Soapbark extract makes bubbles for your face that everyone can enjoy. Along with the fun of sudsing up an infusion of organic Yerba Mate sweeps over your skin bringing with it 196 active compounds. That's more than the ever-popular Green Tea. The 11 Polyphenols Yerba Mate boasts possess potent cell protective properties. Combined with anti-inflammatory Olive Leaf, soothing Linden, regenerating Self Heal (Prunella), and gentle Cornflowers your skin has every reason to be restored. Even the delicate eye area can be easily washed free of waterproof makeup without tugging or any skin distress.

This gel rinses to a lighter and almost "squeaky" clean than our Fresh Mild Rice Cleanser. It's still free of any actual soaps though, and is the correct, skin-friendly, acidic PH. Free is also decidedly and appropriately "free" of even natural origin irritants. Free has no scents at all, no ethyl alcohol (grain alcohol), gluten, or nut ingredients, and avoids the usual list of synthetic nasties that never appear in our recipes. If you have really reactive skin then this cleanser is suitable for you.

Apply:
Moisten face. Dispense 2 or 3 pumps into hands and apply to skin including eye area for makeup removal. Massage gently to remove daily impurities. Remove with warm water, using a washcloth for extra exfoliation and makeup removal. Pat dry. Tone and moisturize.
Each 4 oz container is approximately a 1 month supply when used twice daily.

Glycerin, Infusion of Ilex paraguariensis* (yerba mate), Medicago sativa* (alfalfa), Prunella vulgaris* (self heal), Plantago major* (plantain), Rubus idaeus* (raspberry leaf), Centaurea cyanus* (cornflowers), Olea europaea* (olive leaf), and Tilia europaea* (linden), Caprylyl capryl glucoside (Ecocert vegetable source cleanser), Vitis Vinifera (grapeseed) Oil*, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) Oil*, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Quillaja saponaria* (soapbark), Cetearyl Alcohol and Cetearyl Wheatstraw Glycosides, Gluconolactone, Xanthan Gum
*from Certified Organic Agriculture

Thursday, September 26, 2013

The new Too Faced Christmas Collection Reveal

Too Faced revealed their 2013 Holiday Collection, and it's beYOOtiful! Lovely packaging holds wearable, universally flattering shades. They're also unbelievable bargains to boot.

Joy to the Girls ($46- Value: $275.00)\Filled with 15 rich, festive and highly pigmented matte and shimmer shadows and a full-size LashGASM Mascara, this collection makes going holiday glam easy.

All I Want for Christmas ($45 - $95 Value)


Everything you need to create your signature Christmas look all wrapped up in this full face collection that features the best of Too Faced’s eyes, face and lips; including an exclusive La Crème Color Drenched Lip Cream color!


  Your phone should be as pretty and festive as your makeup! Enjoy this collection of 11 shadows, a bronzer and blush in a pop-out makeup palette and iPhone 5 case.
And dang if this doesn't make me wish I had an iPhone so I could put this case on my phone!!!!

Monday, September 16, 2013

Overall Minerals and 6 piece vegan mineral shadow sampler set giveaway (+ discount code!)

Overall Beauty is one stop shopping for all kinds of indie and eco friendly makeup goodies, including one of the most extensive collections of indie nail polish brands under one roof. Overall Minerals is the mineral makeup line brought to us by the owner herself, Kim, and I've been using these shadows for literally years. (I first raved about them on my blog back in 2010!)

If you purchase through the Etsy page Use coupon code SUPPLY to take 10% off your order on their already crazy low prices -starting at $1.50. There's a HUGE selection of mineral pigments- there are no fillers so you're getting pure, high impact colors. A little goes a LONG way. I love the variety- everything from subtle sheers and mattes to crazy "zowie" colors and shimmers.  
From Wild
Flamingo Strut bold carmine free pink eye shadow mineral makeup vegan sample

To Mild
Rose Shade Mineral Eye Shadow matte vegan pink 5Gram Jar


What the coolest part is that you can try any of the colors for a low low price of $1.50 for a good sized shaker jar; this is not some skeebly little jewelry bag sample!

I wanted to get some new colors, and I thought- "hey! I wanna share the awesomeness with my readers!" So I contacted Kim who thought it'd be a great idea. So guess what, ya'll? You get to enter to win a six pack of minerals in the colors of your choice!



These are my newest lovelies, featured in the video.

From left to right- Not Your GF! 
White Sparkle
Into The Woods
Peace Out
Fuzzy Navel
With A Twist

I asked her a few questions so you could get to know her better.

1. When did you start making mineral cosmetics and why? 
I started in 2006.  I have a real problem with breaking out from ingredients in most cosmetics. Blushes for me are really tough to wear because most brands use carmine or cosmetic dyes in the product. I am too old to have breakouts on my cheeks caused by blushes. I started playing around with mica pigments to make my own. I have found it a very good market for those wanting mineral makeup without all the fillers, cosmetic dyes etc. I do not test on animals and do not believe it.  I am finding that creating purples, greens, or blues are a bit tough. I want you to be able to wear the color on your lips so trying to create such types is a bit hard. (JulieAnn here: that's SUPER awesome since I love to use mineral pigments for theatrical makeup, but often they aren't mouth-safe.)  Even though most would not wear those colors on their lips but I want my colors to be as pure as I can possibly create them. 

Black Eyed Susan swatch
2. What inspires you? 
All the small indie nail polish brands I work with. The work that the small indie brand nail polishes companies create the most amazing colors. I love offering brands no one has yet heard of. When they take off? Oh my gosh I am so happy for them!!

Dirtball Circle with Leaves Shaped Nail Polish Pendant Necklace - Nail Polish Jewelry
3. Name an Etsy seller who's work you really admire
That would have to be BKD Signature. She creates the most beautiful jewelry from nail polish. She is creating jewelry for my website using a custom color created by My Ten Friends using my mineral eye shadow Black Knight. The color is amazing and the jewelry on my gosh! Wow!



4. Do you have any hobbies or interests you'd like to share? 
I love to crochet. I tend to start little items and pull them out and start over again. I have done squares for baby blankets for a couple of young ladies in a group that I belong to on Facebook. I am good at squares but finishing a project? Not so good at it. I just love hand painted yarn. I swear I probably just buy handcrafted dyed yarn because of the colors, nothing to do with what am I going to be making from it. 


5. anything new in the pipeline? 
I am working on new colors right now. I am going to sending out a set of eye shadows and a blush to the press as part of a gifting event at the Golden Globes next year.   I will start offering the set on my website and on etsy as soon as I get them finished. I have a few really fun colors soon to be available as well. 


tree of life pendant
http://etsy.com/shop/BKDSignature
http://etsy.com/shop/MyTenFriends <- custom color is called Mr. Universe


So now to the good stuff- how to enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway