Smashbox Photo Finish Targted Pore & Line Primer: Believe the Hype!

Hello Divas!

Life is so beautiful. Why waste it with negative energy and feelings.  Always channel the negative into the positive.

About 3 months ago, I was given the opportunity to try Smashbox's Photo Finish Targeted Pore & Line Primer.  I have tried other primers that I absoluely love like Laura Geller's Spackle.  Love it!

Smashbox's Photo Finish Targeted Pore and Line Primer creates a truly perfect complexion.  Divas, I promise this primer is magical.  After applying the primer, it truly fills every line and imperfection and creates a smooth and flawless canvas for foundation application.  It is very thick and does not go on as smoothly as other primers I have used, but the results are stunning.  The primer is a bit dry and not as smooth as other primers.  But this particular primer has oil or shine absorbing qualities and I am sure the dry texture helps to reduce oil and shine.  In addition, a little goes a long way.  I only use a fingertip full and spread it evenly on my face.  I wait about 5 minutes and then I apply the rest of my make-up. It is truly fabulous!

Smashbox Cosmetics is known for its primer.  Smashbox primer has repeatedly been voted the #1 primer in the world!  So you know it has to be good!  Smashbox Photo Finish Targeted Pore & Line Primer is available exclusively at Sephora and can be purchased online here.  It retails for $32.

Toodles!

Disclaimer:  This product was provided complimentary for review.  However, my opinion and experience with the product is 100% mine and true.

Guerlain Midnight Star Skin Primer for Holiday 2010

Introduced for the holidays, Guerlain's Midnight Star Skin Primer ($73) has star power. I have to admit up front that it's ridiculously expensive for 10 applications. That said, I love it! This new primer from luxury line Guerlain has a lot going for it, beyond its "pretty face."

Guerlain calls it the perfect royal ally for evenings out. Midnight Star helps to dispel signs of fatigue and stress built up during the day. Use one mini-capsule after a long day to revive your complexion and refresh your look - a skin-care primer for the busy holiday season when you want to look your best.

The 10 capsules are housed in the darling bee-decorated plastic magic wand shown above. This is a primer most of us will use in the early evening before we go to a special event. From that perspective, you may not need more than 10 capsules for the holiday season. If you live a life like mine, you'll have a few capsules left over for the New Year. If you're always on the go, save the capsules for the days when you feel dead-tired, and your skin needs an instant radiance boost. Heaven forbid you party too hard and don't get enough sleep, but if that's the case, you will love the effects of Midnight Star.

The primer is a pearly gel. Apply it to bare skin before your moisturizer. It's a serum/primer, not a hydrator. It feels great on the skin - very smooth and light in weight. Midnight Star adds no color to the skin, just a pearlized glow that will look like you, only better - alive, awake, fresh, and ready to greet the world.

The serum is an antioxidant complex with extracts of natural substances that raise the level of oxygen in the skin. It also has an active ingredient, pronoctine, to shield the skin from toxins that include pollution, cigarette smoke, and the like. Guerlain says the treatment has detoxifying effects, just in case your skin is seriously partied out. So much the better!

Midnight Star has a pleasant scent; it's not nearly as fragranced as Guerlain's skin care (fortunately). I don't mind the scent at all, and it fades after 10-15 minutes. I can't use Guerlain's regular skin-care products. The fragrance of Orchidee Imperiale, for example, is just too strong for me. That really disappoints me because I appreciate the luxury of Guerlain.

I've seen Midnight Star listed as a great gift on department store Web sites. I'm a bit conflicted about the idea of recommending it for purchase as a gift. On the one hand, it's a beautiful item, but on the other, it may deliver a message: "Your skin needs help!" I think Midnight Star is better purchased for your own use.

You can find it at Neiman Marcus, where I purchased mine, Saks, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, and all Guerlain counters. It's part of Les Ors Holiday 2010 Collection.

Have you tried it? What do you think?

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus and Holistic Skin Care

Review: Dr. Brandt pores no more® Pore Refiner

"Blessed" with unsightly blackheads and large pores that ooze oil on your nose? Not a pretty picture, I tell ya. Let me introduce you to Dr. Brandt's pores no more Pore Refiner, aka. a mattifying life-saver for your nose! I have been using this for two weeks now- every morning after my daily facial cleanse. I dab just a bit on my nose and T-zone area and it's like magic! (if you believe in that sort of thing)

It is flesh tone colored with tiny shimmers so although it may seem like it is reflecting shine on your face, it's actually brightening it. It's formulated to smooth your skin and leave a matte finish. I am amazed by the results- significantly less shine so I don't have use all those blotters all the time. When I'm still feeling a bit shiny by mid-afternoon, I use this for quick touch-ups.

The Dr. Brandt Pore Refiner is one of the best mattifying lotion I have used. It's also a great primer before you put on your foundation/face makeup. If you've got oily/combination skin, you should give this a try and see how it works!

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)
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Hot Target Find of the Week: Napoleon Perdis NP Set Pre-Foundation Bronzing Primer

Hello Divas!

I hope your life is fantabulous!

Ladies, Napoleon Perdis is the bomb! Seriously! Remember when I raved about the Bronze Luminizer Foundation Stick? The absolute best bronzer for brown girls I have ever used. Well I have discovered another Napoleon Perdis product that rocks on brown skin. The NP Set Pre-Foundation Bronzing Primer. I was recently given the opportunity to try this primer and of course I jumped at the chance. Because as we know, Napoleon Perdis is known for his excellent primer. It is the best on the market! I have been using just concealer these day due to the humidity. However, I was thinking that a good primer would prevent my skin from looking so blotchy.

When I opened this primer, I immediately fell in love with the color. It is a deep bronze color with flecks of gold. I knew it would look good on my skin tone. I applied the bronzing primer and immediately saw results. First my skin tone looked more even. Secondly, I instantly achieved a sun-kissed glow. I am talking about the "I have chilled on the beach in Miami for a week glow!" And to solidify how great I looked, I met my friend Renee for a walk in the park and she immediately complimented me on how great I looked. She said I looked great and my skin was glowing! Ha! The only thing I had on was the bronzing primer and lip gloss. This primer works like a tinted moisturizer but with a glow! Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous! Plus it is perfect for summer. It is light and quickly absorbs into your skin. There is no need to wear heavy foundation. Divas this bronzing primer is a must have!

A 1.69 oz tube of NP Set Bronzing Primer retails for $29 and you can purchase it here or at any Target!

Toodles!

Laura Geller Spackle Under Make-Up Primer

Hello Divas!

I have a new make up obsession..primer. Usually I do not wear foundation, except for very big events and for camera ready moments. But when I do, I like my foundation to look absolutely flawless. Recently, I was given the opportunity to try Laura Geller's primer and it is just fabulous! After I apply my moisturizer, I apply this primer everywhere I am applying makeup..on my eyelids, under eye area, etc. The primer glides onto my skin and after application my skin is as smooth as silk. Then I apply my foundation and other makeup and it glides on beautifully. Seriously, all lines, creases, and blemishes are magically gone! This primer allows me to have a totally smooth flawless face. I love it! In addition, my makeup lasts for hours when I use this primer! This primer retails for $20 and you can purchase it here or at Sephora.

Hot Drugstore Find of the Week: Revlon's A Floral Affair Sheer Powder Blush

Hello Divas!

How is your Wednesday? I am so glad this is a short work week I don't know what to do! My hot drugstore find of the week is Revlon's A Floral Affair Sheer Powder Blush. Now I must admit, I have never used a drugstore brand blush. When I started wearing make up I never used blush, just lipstick, eye pencil, and mascara. When I was introduced to the fabness of blush, of course NARS stole my heart and I have been a NARS junkie ever since. But one of my faithful readers, Rhonda, asked me to recommend a good drugstore blush. So of course I had to deliver. I chose Revlon's A Floral Affair because one, the floral design is just so pretty! Two, the colors in the Honey Bunch palette are peach, orange, and bronze. I knew these colors would look great on me because orange blush rocks on brown skin! The Floral Affair Blush has three colors that you can apply individually or you can swirl all three together and apply to your cheeks. I swirl the colors together and I truly get a nice flushed glow! Also, the blush is very light and smooth. I have been wearing this blush for a week and I really like it. My only complaint is that the color does not last all day long. I definitely have to reapply the blush towards the end of the day. But I am spoiled because I never have to reapply with my beloved NARS. When using Revlon's A Floral Affair, I would definitely recommend wearing primer so that the color will last. But besides that, I would recommend purchasing this blush. It retails for $11.99 and it comes in several color palettes. Regardless of your skin tone, you can definitely find a color to compliment you. Click here to view the blush palettes and for purchase information. You can also find this blush at CVS!

Toodles!