Thoughts on Powder Foundation (CoverGirl vs. Jane Iredale)

I really don't like liquid foundations. They are either runny and provide too little coverage, or they're very thick and cake-y. In either case, they're time-consuming, difficult to color-match, and I feel a bit like I'm wearing a mask. Obviously, there are a lot of people out there who love liquid foundation, so I feel like my own thoughts are contrary to popular opinion, but I just don't prefer it.

Now, onto powder foundation. I've been using powder foundation ever since I started wearing make-up maybe 8-9 years ago. Its ease-of-use and matte finish appealed to me.

Believe it or not, I'm not only using the same type of foundation, but the same brand. I have stuck with CoverGirl's Fresh Complexion Pocket Powder Foundation in Classic Ivory ever since I started wearing make-up (read the break-down below if you don't want to read my very long ramble!).

I have oily skin, and this is an oil control powder, so it wears well throughout the day. I just swipe it on with a kabuki brush in the morning overtop my Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation Primer and my concealer, and I'm good to go. I do need to touch it up with a make-up sponge around the nose area mid-day, but otherwise, I've been consistently pleased.

However, my curiousity often strikes, and I'll stray from my beloved Pocket Powder. While part of me thinks that if you find something great, you should stick with it, part of me is also thinking what if I miss out on something great just because I'm unwilling to try new things?

So far, I've never found anything I've been pleased enough with to finish the pan. I don't like loose powder formulas like Bare Minerals or Revlon's, and MAC's Studio Fix struck out as well.

Recently, though, I impulsively decided to order Jane Iredale's PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation. You can only get Jane Iredale products online or in salons, but the color matching online is good enough that I felt comfortable ordering it (in the shade Warm Silk). I've heard really great things about the brand, and the promise of minerals in a pressed formula, the gorgeous (refillable!) packaging, and the SPF 20 were appealing.

So, does it match up? I do like the Jane Iredale base a lot. It has a more satin finish than the Pocket Powder, which I don't mind, and some people would probably prefer this over a complete matte. It has good coverage, which is easily buildable with a sponge for problem areas, and it feels silkier than I'm used to. However, it doesn't wear quite as well on my oily skin, and I often find myself sponging my t-zone and reapplying throughout the day. I've started dusting a light layer of translucent powder overtop of the base to help it last a little longer. I will be finishing the pan of this, as I do like the finish and feel of the product (and it's quite pricey not to use up!).

Here's the break-down:

CoverGirl Fresh Complexion Pocket Powder
PROS:
   -  Long-lasting, oil control
   -  Matte finish (if you prefer this)
   -  Builable coverage
   -  Easy to find in drugstores
   -  The price! It tends to cost $10-$12, depending where you go
   -  Comes with a useable sponge with its own compartment
CONS:
   -  Packaging looks a little cheap, and it's not refillable
   -  No SPF
   -  Toward the end of the pan, the product tends to break up

Jane Iredale PurePressed Base
PROS:
   -  Very silky feel
   -  More natural, satin finish (if you prefer this)
   -  SPF 20 (though a make-up with SPF is never enough SPF on its
      own, but its a nice addition)
   -  Gorgeous refillable compact
   -  Mineral formula is more breathable
   -  Jane Iredale does not test on animals
CONS:
   -  Difficult to find, as it has to be purchased online or in a salon
   -  The price--it costs 49.50 the first time and $40 for refills after that
   -  The sponge that comes with it is a throw-away and doesn't have its
      own space in the compact

Will I repurchase the Jane Iredale base? I haven't decided yet. At the very least, I will hold onto the compact, but the fact that it's much more expensive than the CoverGirl Pocket Powder makes me think that I would only repurchase if it's significantly, significantly better. I'm just not sure about that, especially since the wear over time really isn't great.

One Print to Rule Them All

If I had to sum up being an English major in a few words, they would probably be post-its, Scrabble, and that all-important fashion staple for grandmothers everywhere, argyle.

For some reason, I’m a teensy bit obsessed with this print. Ok, even my Webster’s is argyle-print. So maybe a smidgeon more than teensy. Just a smidgeon.

Maybe it’s because argyle so perfectly reflects my inner nerd. And my outer nerd. I’m a bookworm who enjoys a game of scrabble and a great pair of socks.

Anyway, I was thrilled recently to see all of the argyle at Old Navy nowadays. There’s not an Old Navy near my school, so the trip was a bit of a pilgrimage (but it’s good to get out of dodge sometimes, right?).

My favorite purchase? An argyle pullover sweater on sale for $10...$10?! Yes, $10! Its full price is 24.50, and it’s surprisingly good quality for the cost. A very soft, fine-gauge knit with a forgiving fit and a flattering v-neck.

It doesn’t appear to be online, but there were several out in the store. I may need to go back to buy another color or one of the cardigans...or order the argyle sweaterdress from online. Swoon!

I also picked up a pair of lipstick-red ballet flats for under 10 bucks (which I wore out right away), a chunky striped pullover for 20, and a Browns NFL tee.

Another favorite nerd-related fashion piece of mine is a necklace made out of a Scrabble tile that my mom gave me.

P.S. I ordered a couple of eye palettes from the MAC Tartan Tale Holiday collection last night. Tartan is another print close to my heart, so I couldn't resist!

Zombie Blog

I pretty much just started this blog and immediately jumped ship...not very responsible of me, eh? Just in time for Halloween, I'm going Frankenstein on this blog and bringing it back to life.

Admittedly, resurrection is not my day job, so I don't know how well this attempt will go. But we'll see.

Posts to ensue.

Life, Layouts, and Beauty Products Galore

This post is sort of a hodge-podge of information. I've been playing around with the layout, and I'm not quite happy yet, but I like it better than the default-er I had up before. I have an idea of what I want, so maybe I'll keep playing with it.

Finals are right around the corner, and I've been submerged under an ocean of schoolwork--final papers, projects, independent studies...You get the picture. As a result, I haven't had much time to post, but I think I should be able to do a lot more blogging after finals are over. I don't think I've been more excited for summer in a long time. I'm going back to work at Victoria's Secret, and so I'll be living with my boyfriend for the summer (who is having open-heart surgery next month...yikes).

There are also a number of beauty products I've been eyeing for a little while, so I thought I'd throw them out here.

The first is Covergirl & Olay's Simply Ageless Eye Concealer. I actually picked this up a while ago, but I've been waiting to finish up my pot of Maybelline Mousse Concealer before I try it out. Of course, being in my early 20s, I'm not particularly concerned about aging. But here's my logic: if it's made not to cake into wrinkles, does that mean it will go on really smoothly? I hope so. I also love the concept of adding eye cream right into a concealer. I'm a sucker for two-fers. I've also been eyeing Eve Pearl's Salmon Concealer, but I'm not sure about that on yet because of 1) the cost and 2) it's only available online, not at makeup counters. Maybe I'll look into that one next, though.

The second product on my list is actually several; it's MAC's To the Beach collection for summer, which will be released in late May. If I had to walk away with only one product from the collection, though, it would definitely be this gorgeous Highlight Powder. It's a blend of pink, coral, and gold in a marine seahorse pattern. I may end up also picking up a lipgloss or two and some nail polish, but I'm not sure about those eyeshadows. I would definitely get that tote bag as well, but it will only be available in MAC stores, and there aren't any pro stores near me. Sad face.

Now, I have to admit, I think I might be related to Snow White. My pale skin's only saving grace is a dust of freckles (a testament that I am not, in fact, the crypt keeper). I've mostly given up on self tanners because it takes a lot of time and patience to get myself to what someone might call a "normal" level of tanness. Recently, though, I spotted L'Oreal's Sumblime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes. I'm intrigued. It seems easier than a lotion, foam, or mist. I think maybe I'll give this whole self tanner thing a try again. I'm not shooting for Pocahontas, just a little color for summer.


Bronzer can be my best friend in the summer because it gives my pale skin a little subtle color. However, I find its difficult to find a bronzer that isn't too dark or too shimmery for my preferences. I've seen Victoria's Secret's Pretty Glow Pink Face and Body Bronzer before, but I figured I'd wait until I was an employee again to get it (for the record, nobody at work told me to post about this product; I just like it). I like the packaging and the subtle amount of shimmer. Its also in a big pan, so you get a lot of product, and you can dust it on your collar bones and shoulders (good if you're worried about your face looking tanner than your body).

I think I may try DiorShow Extase Mascara once my beloved DiorShow has dried up. I'm intrigued with the brush shape. Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be no middle ground with mascara? It's one of those things that you either love it or hate it. DiorShow, for me, is a love. Hopefully, I'll like its cousin, too.


Other than these products, I've been looking at Lush for the first time in a while. My boyfriend's place has a bathtub, which is a luxury us dorm-dwellers can usually only dream about. I may need to pick out a few bath bombs for those nights when work is particularly stressful.

Well, I think that's everything that's been on my mind as far as beauty products go. I think the next thing for this blog may be to break into the video sphere. Maybe I'll do a "Favorite Beauty Products of April" video. I may also do an update about shaving products in the near future, so look for that soon. For now, I should return to studying (ugh).

Giving Up and Learning to Love the Kindle

I was immediately suspicious of the Kindle. Anytime someone told me how much they loved how slim it was, how they could have so many books in one tiny little package, how it has “special ink technology,” I would squint my eyes and internally curse the day some Amazon execs dreamed up their precious e-reader.

I love books. I love going to the bookstore and perusing the new release shelves they put right in the front of the store, then scouring through the fiction racks looking for some hidden gem of a novel I’d missed before. I love the texture of the paper when I turn a page, the somewhat dusty smell of ink, and the weight of a book in my hands. I love lining all my favorite books up on a shelf, turning them this way and that, moving them around, and configuring them in the most aesthetically pleasing way I possibly can.

The Kindle threatened all of that.

And yet everyone seemed to have one! My ninety-year-old grandfather even has one. And I couldn’t help but think, what’s all the hubbub about? Where’s the appeal? I began researching the Kindle on the internet. I became a YouTube extraordinaire, a blogger aficionado, an online shopping sleuth. I knew all the ins and outs of Amazon’s reader. And I have to admit…I kind of wanted one.

I travel a lot, so the idea of packing one little device in my carry-on bag or backpack seemed a lot more appealing than trying to stuff in twelve pounds of individual books. A lot of the books I have to read for classes are available on the Kindle for cheaper than a hard copy (or even for free!). I also live about an hour away from my boyfriend, so when I go visit for a night, it’s annoying to lug a bunch of schoolwork with me. Plus, my aesthetic side loves some of the adorable Kindle cases out there.

The most appealing aspect, though (besides the reduced cost of books), was the ability to decide I wanted a book, download it, and start reading it about 30 seconds later. I go to school in the middle of nowhere (almost), so getting to a large bookstore that carries all of the new releases immediately is inconvenient, and I hate paying shipping and waiting several days for a book to arrive. Just think, the exact minute that a book becomes available, I can start reading it!

Sold.

It was a little pricey, but totally worth it. I’ve joined the ranks of Kindle lovers everywhere (and I mean everywhere; it’s like a horde). I happily packed my Kindle in my carry-on bag on my flight to France, all of the books I needed for homework and pleasure downloaded beforehand. My travel buddy, meanwhile, lugged around about 15 pounds of books…not fun for her.

Will I stop buying actual books to put on my shelf? Probably not, but for the meantime, I can see myself becoming very attached to this little piece of machinery.

Lilac blush

Quick beauty update today. Lately, I've been using lilac-colored eyeshadow as a blush. I figured, I've been loving strong blush looks for day, and I've been a little obsessed with purple, so why not combine the two? I haven't been able to find a satisfactory shade of lilac blush, though, so I decided to try using eyeshadow on my cheeks.

I find that I really like the effect; it's sweet and easy for springtime. The key is to find an eyeshadow in a light shade with pinker undertones, so you don't look bruised. You also want to make sure that you don't use an eyeshadow that's too shimmery, since eye makeup tends to be more glittery than blushes usually are. I used Maybelline New York's Expert Wear Eyeshadow Trio in Crown Jewels, since I already had it on hand.

I applied just the lid color (the top one) and applied it to the apples of my cheeks, then swept it upward toward my temples. I just used the eyeshadow alone, but if you have a warmer complexion or think the effect is too strong, you can warm it up by sweeping a shell-pink blush over your cheekbones, on top of the lilac. A good blush for this is L'oreal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Blush in Baby Blossom, but you can use whatever you have available and works with your skin tone. Just make sure you're not using too warm a pink, or it will clash.

I kept the rest of my face pretty minimal. I left my eyes pretty much alone and used Sephora's ultra-shine lip gloss in 10, another pretty lilac shade.

Upcoming reads

Periodically, I compile a list of upcoming books I really want to remember to read when they are released, either because they're sequels, I like the authors, or they just look cool. Here is my current list, as it stands. I'm also currently working my way through Lisa See's Shanghai Girls. I've read a couple of other Lisa See books, and I love her writing. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to read for fun while I'm finishing up the semester, so I've been working on it for a while. Oh, well...for now I'll just have to daydream about laying in the grass in the summertime and lazing the day away on a good read. Sigh.

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Okay, so this one is technically already released. It was released recently, though, and I’m excited to read it (whenever I find the time between the 50 million things I have to do at the end of my junior year of college). This is the sequel to In the Forest of Hands and Teeth, which is a young adult, post-apocalyptic, Zombie novel. Not usually my style. However, this one puts a really different spin on the whole already-done zombie thing.

The first book centers around Mary, a teenage girl living in a village completely surrounded by forest, and the forest is filled with the “unconsecrated” (zombies). Mary wonders if there’s any such thing as a world beyond the unconsecrated, and she feels constrained not only by their constant, prevailing presence, but by the strict codes of behavior of the village.

I’m admittedly a little unsure of this second book because it picks up with a new protagonist, Gabry. I don’t want to give too much away, in case anyone hasn’t read the first book, but I’m sure the book will deal with similar themes of identity, secrets, freedom, and obligation. In general, I really hate it when authors switch up the protagonist in a series because I really get to know the main character and want to stick with her/him (Scott Westerfeld is notorious for this, and it always bugs me when he does it). We’ll see, though; maybe The Dead-Tossed Waves will surprise me.

The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst (releases June 15)

I’m not entirely sure I would pick this book up if I didn’t know who Carolyn Parkhurst was. She’s one of my favorite authors. On the surface, her plots seem pretty simple, not entirely fantastic at all. But she writes in a way that really leaves her character naked—not literally, of course. She takes ordinary people and puts them in situations that exposes their innermost quirks, desires, and fears. If you haven’t read Dogs of Babel yet, go pick it up. Seriously. It’s heartbreaking, it’s sweet, it’s tender, it’s quirky, it’s surprising…but I digress.

So, I’m scooping up this book when it comes out, expecting that the lackluster-sounding plot will surprise me. Octavia, a novelist (doppelganger?) with a mysterious past, discovers that her son has been arrested for murder. The book seems like it will take place during the time of her son’s arrest, but it will likely feature a lot of forays into the past as Octavia confronts it. The whole mother-son thing seems pretty characteristic of Parkhurst, who is all about examining relationships. I also find the title pretty intriguing; its meaning is an enigma in itself.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (releases August 24)

This book (another young adult novel) is the third and final installment in the Hunger Games series. I got completely sucked into the first two. This is another post-apocalyptic sort of book, but this one is war instead of zombies. After the war wipes out most of the United States, society reforms with a central capital, surrounded by 12 districts. ‘The Capitol’ keeps the districts in line by starving them and holding an annual lottery for participation in the Hunger Games. Essentially, the “winners” fight to the death reality-TV style for the capital’s entertainment, and whoever’s left alive at the end wins food for their district.

The main character, Katniss, steps in when her twelve-year-old sister’s name is drawn in the lottery, taking her place in the Games. That’s the first book. I won’t tell you what’s in the second or third book, to avoid giving anything away, but I promise it’s good. There’s also a love triangle tucked in there. If there’s any book I’m most excited about for this year, this is it.