Beauty and Fashion Tech

Callas Light Up Makeup Base

Callas Cosmetics is a French Company that has cosmetics designed in Japan and France, but made in Korea. I gave a bunch of their products a try and was quite impressed.

Callas Light Up Makeup Base is a rather interesting item because it can work both as a foundation or as a primer. The Callas base provides moisture and UV skin protection and is available in a couple of color correcting shades, plus in the shade Milk, which is a light natural tint. The base feels great and when used as a primer, works quite well as a base for further makeup.

But the milk shade of the base also gives decent light coverage–similar to a sheer tinted moisturizer. So while it can be worn as a primer, I found that it also was perfect alone for some moisturizing, sheer coverage. My favorite use has been as a foundation on my upper face, and as a base for mineral makeup on my lower face where I have some redness and pigmentation.

I linked to the order page from Amazon.com, but I actually ordered mine from Yesstyle, which is my favorite Japanese and Korean fashion, beauty, and accessories site. You can also view Callas items at Callas.com.

For more on Callas Cosmetics and YesStyle see my previous Callas eye shadow post.

By Carleenp Posted in Face Products, Makeup, Makeup Primer | 2 Comments

Elf Cosmetics Mineral Makeup Kit

Elf Cosmetics is widely known for their $1 cosmetics, although some of their items run a few dollars more. Now they have released a full line of mineral makeup at excellent prices.

A Mineral Starter Kit is $20 and contains:

Mineral Foundation-SPF 15
Mineral Concealer-SPF 15
Mineral Blush
Total Face Brush
Blush Brush
Canvas Case

That is a good amount of items for the price. Mineral eye shadows are only $3 each. One thing to note though is that these items contain bismuth, which is common ingredient in many mineral makeup brands, but unfortunately, it is also an irritant to some people. The kit is paraben free.

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By Carleenp Posted in Makeup, Mineral Makeup | 1 Comment

Get Keri Hilson’s TRL Look

Keri Hilson is the girl who sang in Timbaland’s “The Way I Are,” and was the love interest in Usher’s “Love In This Club” Video. She has now made a name for herself as a songwriter, writing for Justin Timberlake, The Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears and Usher.

Keri Hilson MTV TRL Energy Video MAC cosmetics

Hilson will be appearing on MTV’s TRL Wednesday, July 16, 2008 to promote the video for her first single, “Energy.” M.A.C. Cosmetic’s Sr. Artist Romero Jennings did her makeup for the show (pictured above) and explained how to achieve the look:

Pump up lashes top and bottom with 2 coats of prep and prime mascara, then add one heavy winter coat of Plushlash mascara in Plushblack.

I then add the #7 lashes which I cut into fine pieces and place on the top lashes!

The skin was primed with Prep + Prime Skin and polished with a sheer coat of Moistureblend Foundation that is highlighted with Moisturelush Eye Cream and contoured Matte Bronzer!

Shadows were pumped up with Creme de Violet used as a liner/shadow under eye while Saddle and Black Tied shadows frames the eye!

Here is a complete list of the products used:

Prep ₊ Prime Skin, Moisture Blend Foundation NC42, NC43, and NW45 Matte Bronzing Powder

Blush in Sunbasque and Frankly Scarlet

Eye shadow: Saddle, Blacktied, Cream de Violet, Blacktrack Fluidline Gel Liner

Spice and Plum Lip Liner

Prep + Prime Lash Primer, Plushlash Mascara in Plushblack and Fascinating pencil

Mineralized Skinfinish Natural in Medium and Dark for contouring

From the Electroflash Collection: Mineralized Eye Shadow Duo in Love Connection and Two to Glow, Lipstick in Mellow Mood, and Lipglass in Major Minor

I love the use of Moisturelush (read review) to highlight!

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By Carleenp Posted in Celebrity Looks, Collection Looks, Makeup, Sale or Promotion Notices | No Comments

M.A.C. Cosmetics New View Collection

M.A.C. has a great new collection out that I find very useful. So I declare this a must have product!

M.A.C. New View is a collection of mineralized baked skin finish powders for finish, contour, and highlight. M.A.C. describes New View as follows:

Natural and Shimmer. The split personality of powder now, in NewView combinations with superfine seracite and talc base to sheerly and subtly perfect skin with dimensionality and mineralized starshine. The planes of the face, the contours of the body, made dazzling with a one-two sweep. Mineralize Skinfinish duos are state-of-the-art simplicity, high-resolution finish.

Each compact contains two forms of SkinFinish—one fairly matte and one shimmery. The beauty of this is that you can use the matte to contour or generally finish your makeup, and use the shimmer for highlight. Or you can mix them together for a luminizing effect.

I tried one in light and found that it was perfect on my pale skin. There was just a hint of color from the matte to add contour and the shimmer was light and not overwhelming.

Contouring and highlighting with my complexion has always been difficult. Most products have too much color and end up looking like bronzer of blush. But New View worked perfectly. So pale girls take note! This one works quite well! This will easily become a staple item in my makeup bag.

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By Carleenp Posted in Bronzers, Face Products, Makeup, Palettes and Collections | No Comments

Redpoint Foundations and Powder: Sheer, Beautiful Makeup

I have been playing with some Redpoint Cosmetics and have been impressed with everything that I tried. In the area of foundations, I tried two foundations: The DermaLift Foundation and the Transformative Dual Foundation. I also tried the HydraBoost Firming Powder.

The DermaLift Foundation is formulated with peptides and moisturizers for anti-aging and is mineral oil-free. The addition of such things is always welcome to me, but what really impresses me about this foundation is how light it feels–yet it still provides sheer to medium coverage.

Dermalift Foundation feels quite a bit like a light tinted moisturizer. This stuff is so lightweight that it simply feels great and blends very well. There are only three shades available though, which is a bit of a downside. But when a foundation is as blendable as this one is, fewer shades are needed because the makeup is more versatile. Nonetheless, I would like to see a few more shades, even though the light shade worked just fine with my fair skin.

Redpoint Transformative Dual Foundation is listed as a full coverage foundation, but I found it to be more medium in coverage. The foundation comes in a compact with two shades for a custom blend. Application is with a sponge. I liked the dual shade option because it allowed me to customize coverage a bit based on areas of pigmentation. It also allows for some use of the foundation as a highlight or contour color. I also found that it was nicely buildable. So,while overall coverage is medium, it can be closer to full with extra application. This is a good one for people who want some flexibility in their makeup.

The HydraBoost Firming Powder is good way to top off your foundation, or wear it alone for some light coverage and shine control. The powder is formulated to minimize fine lines and wrinkles, and feels quite nice. I loved it both as a finishing powder and as a stand alone product. For some reason, this one seemed to help tone down reddness for me a bit better than other powders, so rosacea sufferers might be particularly interested in it.

Redpoint cosmetics are available through the links above and at other online sources.

Want to learn about Redpoint’s lipgloss? Take a look at my review on Girl Gloss.

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By Carleenp Posted in Makeup, Skin Care | 4 Comments

Lorac Breakthrough Performance Foundation

I am loving LORAC Breakthrough Performance Oil-Free Anti-Aging Foundation with SMS Complex - SPF 14. This foundation pretty much matches the name.

First off, the makeup is oil free, yet it has a moisturizing feel to it that I love. It is quite lightweight, but gives medium coverage. Best of all, it adds some anti-aging properties and SPF.

I have been wearing the Lorac Breakthrough performance Foundation for about a week now and have found that it both lasts all day, and quite simply has a very nice look to it. I have had no issues with it looking flaky or dry like I sometimes experience with many oil free foundations. It also provides enough moisture for my dry areas, without making the oily spots look shiny. This means that I don’t end up with foundation settling into fine lines and wrinkles, but I don’t end up looking like an oil slick by the end of the day either.

Another bonus: This one works quite well without a primer. It also is nice with one– pretty much all foundations are– but I have been very happy wearing it alone when I usually find the need for a primer with some other brands.

Bottom line is that Lorac has created a winner with this one. I definitely recommend it!

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