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Kinerase Cosmetics and Skincare

Picking the right skincare product is important.  After all, it’s the one that’s going to protect your face to the world.  If you’re looking for your new skincare line, you might find it in Kinerase Cosmetics.  It has generally received a positive response from its user base.  Read on if you want to know a little more about this largely effective product.

Kinerase claims to be one of the best options for people with sensitive skin, one that aims for an anti-aging outcome.  Kinerase aims to eliminate wrinkles and other signs of aging, while offering a skin moisturizing effect.  Blotchiness will no longer be a problem as long as you use Kinerase Skin Care Products.  They have a wide array of products that can come in either cream or lotion forms.  Their products claim to avoid blocking the pores and hypoallergenic, making it safe for even the most sensitive of people.

Their signature ingredient is kinetin, which carries with it its very own discussion circle and controversy.

General Strengths and Weaknesses of the Brand

Let’s start with the cons that tend to carry over across Kinerase Products.  Occasionally, their moisturizers can be found with some irritants.  People with more sensitive skin might want to avoid using those products.  The Clear Skin products tend to lag a little behind other Kinerase Cosmetics.  There are also some relative mysteries when it comes to their kinetin and zeatin, which has raised some concerns.

On the bright side, Kinerase Skin Care have some antioxidant-rich items that are also packaged quite effectively.  Anti-oxidants keep the skin from being damaged, as well as aid in protecting against things like heart disease or even cancer, giving extra worth to Kinerase Cosmetics.  You can make full use of their sunscreen products as well as it proves great UVA defense when applied correctly.  Their products are also largely devoid of fragrance, allowing combined use with perfumes and colognes.

Hydrating Oxidant Mist

This particular representative of Kinerase Cosmetics is a strong one, as it has hyaluronic acid and glycerin, among other effective agents, like green tea and other anti-oxidants and formulas that are largely free of alcohol.  There is only one problem in it – the presence of bergamot oil.  It can provoke the production of melanin and should actually not be found in anything that involves skin care.  In fact, if your skin is sensitive enough, it could actually cause burns if you’re out in the sun.

Daily Defense Lotion SPF 30

This skincare product from Kinerase Cosmetics has avodenzone going for it but beyond that is the problem of the product.  The price for 2.8 ounces of the stuff can easily hit one hundred and thirty eight dollars – that’s a pretty penny for their signature ingredient, kinetin.  The real trouble is that kinetin still runs with a lot of controversial fellows, meaning that scientists still aren’t quite sold on the item.  It makes sure that skin cells keep replicating but the problem with that is, skin cells that don’t stop replicating are basically cancer cells.  While that’s certainly a cause for concern, the price is what will put people off as there is very little kinetin in the product itself.

C6 Peptide Intensive Treatment

C6 Peptide Intensive Treatment, as a Kinerase Product, performs well.  Aside from having kinetin, it also has other great stuff like peptides and the always important vitamin C.  It tries to cover all its bases by having as much great stuff as they can cram into one thing, as it also involves acetyl hexapeptide-3, which is that stuff people keep claiming is actually better than putting poison into your face, otherwise known as Botox.  While expensive, there are those that have found it extremely effective, even with its relatively high price which is around one hundred US dollars for a single ounce of the stuff.  While other products also fall into that range, this is one of the few with an effective combination of chemicals that tend to do well for skin.

Kinerase and You

At the end of the day, it’s down to how your skin will ultimately react to Kinerase Skin Care products.  Each person is blissfully unique and while other share similar traits such as color and the like, others of entirely similar skin types and tones can end up reacting in vastly different ways to the same item.

Kinerase Cosmetics carry with it a hefty price tag and some very controversial ingredients, such as Kinetin and Zeatin, but it can still be the one for you.  Maybe many other cosmetic lines cause your skin to break out, or maybe they just don’t work well with your skin or its tone.  Whatever the reason, Kinerase is here for you to use. Make sure to test it on your skin first, as you would any cosmetics.  Perhaps this is the one that will cause you to break out, or the one that will give you a chance to break out.

Organic Skincare

Going green is going to be mainstream.  Even skincare has gotten into the act with organic makeup.  Organic cosmetics is more of a blanket term, as it covers several kinds of natural skincare options.  Plant and plant materials themselves can be part of organic skincare products, as well as mineral-based products.

What organic really means is that the products themselves have not been exposed to pesticides or other man-made chemicals.  Unless the organic cosmetics product actually says certified, it will probably have pesticides in it.

Organic Cosmetics Basics

As stated above, organic makeup is made up of either minerals, plant derivatives or a neat combination of both.  One of the most common misconceptions when it comes to organic skincare is that it is instantly better than chemical or man-made products.  After all, plants can also contain high levels of carcinogens. Toxins are also commonly found in plants as well.

Minerals on the other hand also carry high toxicity levels.  Older models, in fact, could cause lead poisoning due to their content.  It is best to research the ingredients of a potential product for you to check for yourself.

Choosing the Right Organic Skincare Product

The first step in going out shopping for your organic skincare is to make a list containing the makeup that you use, so you know exactly what you’re looking for.  The next step is to do the legwork.  Learn some Google-fu and research options for possible replacements.  If you have a nearby health food store, you can also consult with them.

The next step might be the most fun for a lot of people – the guess and test part.  This is when you take your cleverly-researched list to the makeup department in your local mall and test out the organic cosmetics available.  Luckily, it’s fairly common practice to offer free tests and makeovers, which will allow you to check out how your skin is affected by the makeup before investing any money into it.

Make sure to see how your skin reacts in the minutes after you test them out, to see if you’re allergic for them.  You’re looking for blotches, redness and itchiness.  If you get any of those things, you shouldn’t use that makeup.  Next, once you’ve narrowed your organic makeup to things that don’t make you sick, you should list down or research the component ingredients of the makeup left in your list.  Organic makeup components such as eye shadow and foundation should have minerals among their ingredients.  Glosses should be made from fruits.  Make sure to check for certification as well, as plenty of sneaky sellers add organic to their names just to sell their item.

Final Word

Despite being under one banner, there’s still a wide variety of options under that banner.  Make sure to test all the options available to you to make sure that you’re picking the best one for your skin.  Organic skincare is especially good for teens who want to try out new makeup and experiment with their skin.

Bronzing Face Powder

People shouldn’t be judged by their skin color.  That being said, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with picking a skin color that looks better on you.  A bronzer is one of the ways people can do that. It is a cosmetic item used and applied onto the skin to change it into a bronze color.  This tends to lend people a younger, fresher look if used properly.

So, how do you use bronzing face powder?

Picking the Right Bronzing Powder

In business, location tends to occupy the top three spots when it comes to importance.  When it comes to bronzers, you have to pick the right one, too.  If you pick the wrong one, it won’t matter how well you apply it or how you dress around it – it won’t work.

Picking the right bronzing face powder is first a matter of picking one that complements your skin tone.  Don’t go too dark with the bronzing powder as it will end up making you look filthy rather than bronzed.  One or two shades darker is perfect but no more.  The next thing is that you should pick the right kind of applicator.  It can come in liquid, sticks, beads and powder.  Don’t hesitate to experiment with the one that works best for your look.

Applying Your Bronzing Powder

You have to look for the right amount of bronzer to apply.  Putting too much to be sure isn’t the philosophy to go by here.  Go with a wide fluffy brush to get it onto your face as this will increase the chances that you’ll get the even spread you’re aiming for.  You’re targeting your chin, cheeks and, of course, your forehead.  Blending can be done easily – simply apply it lightly at first then work from there.  If you have too little on, it’s an easy thing to fix.  Put too much and you’ll end up wasting your bronzer.

You can progress from a light application to the point where you get the shade best for your skin.  Make sure that you skip out on bronze lipstick and eyeliner, as combined those with bronzing face powder can lead to an overly bronzed look.  Keep the rest of your paint simple.  Go with a warm look for your eyes and sheer lips to complement the look better.

Miscellaneous Tips

It can’t be stressed how much a big fluffy brush can make applying bronzer easier.  If the brush you’re using is too narrow, you’ll end up with a somewhat uneven application.  Uneven can be bad just as over-application as it leads to a dirty and filthy look which is definitely not what you’re looking for.

Feel free to experiment with it.  Try different thickness, different combinations of makeup to find out which one works for you.  Sure, it might look and seem expensive at the start, but it’ll be cheaper in the long run as you’ll end up using your bronzer more efficiently.  Bronzing powder is fairly new so there are no big super rules that you have to follow.  Go ahead, try it out for yourself and see how it can improve your look.

Waterproof Mascara – Is It Really Better?

Mascara is makeup for the eyelashes. It can thicken, define, lengthen, or even change the color of a person’s eyelashes. It can really open up a person’s eyes, instantly making them look less tired and more glam.

One of the problems with a lot of kinds of mascara though, is that when it gets wet, it tends to come off and run. This means that if you’re wearing black mascara, watching a sad movie can get you couple of black tear-tracks down your face.

Unless you plan on impersonating a mime or want to look like an overenthusiastic goth kid, this kind of effect isn’t really something that most people want to go for.

Luckily, there are a lot of waterproof mascara brands to choose from out there. They come in all kinds of colors too, so if you want some blue waterproof mascara, or some red waterproof mascara, or even some sparkly silver waterproof mascara, all you need to do is check out your local drugstore or search on the internet. There are also a lot of cleansing products that remove waterproof mascara, so don’t worry about how you’re supposed to clean it off.

On Using Waterproof Mascara

You can pretty much use waterproof mascara the same way you use non-waterproof mascara. If you want a different look, for example, why not try emphasizing your eyes with some bright, bold eyeshadow and some blue waterproof mascara?

The Up-side of Waterproof Mascara

Waterproof mascara is great for those times when you might run the risk of crying –like at weddings and funerals and really sad movies. It’s also great if you’re living in a tropical area, where the humidity in the air can melt just about anything water-based.

How to Remove Waterproof Mascara

There’s a lot to be said about the up-sides to waterproof mascara, but you’ll probably need to take a different tack when you want to remove waterproof mascara.

First of all, you’ll need eye makeup remover; one that’s meant for waterproof makeup and formulated to be hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive eyes. If you don’t want to use a specially formulated eye makeup remover, petroleum jelly, baby oil, or olive oil usually also works as well.

Gently apply makeup remover-soaked cotton balls to your eyelids. Don’t scrub or tug at your eyelashes; they’re pretty fragile and can fall out or get damaged fairly easily. Just move the cotton balls in gentle, circular motions over the eyelid, repeating as needed.

After you’re done removing all of your makeup, make sure to wash your face using a facecloth and facial cleanser. Use circular motions over your face to get rid of any mascara residue. And don’t forget to rinse your face and the eye area of your face afterwards.

Finding Waterproof Mascara

Whether you want blue waterproof mascara, black waterproof mascara, or just about any other colored waterproof mascara, don’t worry. Most beauty stores will have a lot of different kinds of mascara in stock. Of course, black-colored waterproof mascara is the most widely available, but if you’re sniffing around for a particular brand or color, the internet is probably the easiest place to find it. All you need to do is search for it. If you want to find ways to remove waterproof mascara, the internet will provide too.

Permanent Makeup – Eyeliner & Lipliner

I’m the kind of person who likes to look good, but dreads having to roll out of bed in the mornings because I’ll have to go through all of the elaborate minutiae of makeup application.

Every morning is a personal war for me; and it sometimes got to the point where I would lie in bed with the covers tucked over my head until two in the afternoon, simply because I didn’t want to bother with my exceedingly tedious morning routine.

The thought has occasionally occurred to me to skip putting on makeup altogether, but I haven’t left my house without makeup on since before I was in high school, and I don’t intend on changing that now. A

fter another completely wasted Saturday morning spent lying in bed and trying to pretend that I was still asleep though, I finally decided that I had had enough. I searched the internet for permanent makeup options. I wanted to start out slowly; with a little permanent eyeliner or permanent lip liner or semi permanent lip liner maybe.

What is permanent makeup?

If you’re wondering what permanent makeup is; it’s essentially makeup that’s been tattooed directly onto a person’s face. The difference between permanent lip liner, for example, and the butterfly tattoo a person might have had inked onto their lower back, is that whereas tattoos are mostly meant to make a statement of some sort about somebody’s personality, permanent makeup is simply meant to enhance (or slightly alter) whatever’s already there.

How is permanent makeup applied?

As mentioned in the last paragraph, permanent makeup is basically a bunch of tattoos. This means that it is usually applied the same way tattoos are; except that they’re almost always applied by a plastic surgeon, since facial skin is much more delicate than the skin in most of the rest of the body, and since the tattoos are usually placed really close to important parts of the body, like the eyes.

Does applying permanent makeup hurt?

The short answer to that one is “yes.” Getting a tattoo is essentially getting punctured a lot of times with an ink-filled needle. A permanent makeup job will be essentially the same thing. A permanent makeup machine; a device used specifically for the application of permanent makeup will often be used; although it pretty much does the same thing a tattoo needle does: deposit pigment into deep layers of skin.

With permanent makeup though, it isn’t applied as deeply, and since it’s applied to the face, most plastic surgeons will apply topical or local anesthetic to whatever you want to put permanent makeup on.

The most you will probably feel will be some minor discomfort, and there may be a bit of swelling and stinging afterwards as well. You might want to ask your doctor about what you can do to deal with the after-effects.

What are the pros and cons of permanent makeup?

The first con is fairly obvious. It’s permanent. You’ll have it for the rest of your life. Or, since it’s really likely that the ink will fade over time, you’ll have it for at least a few years. This means that if you opted to have blue permanent eyeliner, you’re going to have to live with that particular permanent eyeliner color for a while, unless you’re willing to undergo costly and painful (usually more painful than the permanent makeup application process) tattoo removal to get rid of it.

Of course, this is probably the reason why people get permanent makeup in the first place, so it counts as a pro as well: the fact that it stays. It’s really a double-edged sword.

This is why if you want to get permanent makeup, you have to think long and hard before making your decision; there aren’t any morning after take backsides once you have this kind of makeup on your face. A lot of clinics and beauty centers where permanent makeup services are being offered will also have specialists to help you with your color and design choices.

To get the look you want and avoid infections, make sure that you get a cosmetologist or permanent makeup specialist you trust, who uses sterilized equipment.

Another con to permanent makeup is the cost; something as simple as permanent eyeliner can set you back anywhere from three hundred dollars, to a thousand. It does help you cut back on the need to buy eyeliner every few weeks or months though, which does save you some money. If you think about it, this isn’t that much of a con, really.

What about semi permanent makeup, like semi permanent lip liner? Is there a difference?

That depends on who you’re talking to. Permanent makeup is often also called semi permanent makeup; so you can opt to refer to your new lip liner job as semi permanent lip liner or permanent lip liner. Sometimes though, there can be a small difference between semi permanent and permanent makeup. Some brands or cosmetic lines will tout their products or services as semi permanent makeup, but will actually refer to ordinary cosmetics formulated to be especially long wearing.

Whether you’re planning on giving permanent makeup a try and going under the cosmetologist’s needle with permanent eyeliner or semi permanent lip liner, or simply finding some reeeeeeaaally long-wearing semi permanent lip liner though, getting the colors and services that suit your needs can be easy, if you know what you’re looking for.

Smokey Eye Makeup Tips

Nothing says “mysterious and alluring” like a pair of smokey eyes giving someone the “come hither” look from across the room. This look can be achieved fairly easily. The “smokey eyes” look is characterized by makeup that emphasizes the eyes using soft lines and blending; usually, darker colors like black, brown, or gray are used, although you can opt to go for a more dramatic kind of smokey eyed look with fun colors like green or even red.

Smokey eye makeup tips proliferate throughout the internet, but all of them pretty much say the same thing: blend blend blend.

Good blending is the key!
Smokey Eye Makeup
The secret to great looking smokey eye makeup application may be in the blending, but another very important smokey eye makeup tip to take to heart is to choose colors that complement your skin tone.
If you have very pale skin, for example, using a strong, all-black color palette for your smokey eyes look can make you look less like a seductive vamp, and more like the walking dead. Likewise, if you have skin with yellow undertones, blue-tinted colors, like lavender, can make your skin appear jaundiced. Try to go for makeup colors that share your skin’s own undertones.

Many smokey eye makeup tips forget to mention that taking care of your skin and your eyes can go a really long way to opening up your eyes and making them look much more striking. Getting rid of puffiness around the eyes using cucumbers or tea bags, for example, may mean that you won’t have to add in that extra layer of concealer before putting on your base for your eye makeup; this makes your makeup less likely to get cakey.

If you’ve taken care of that business already, the first thing you have to start with for your smokey eyes look will always have to be the base. Make sure that any makeup you apply goes on evenly and doesn’t end up turning into a greasy line on your eyelid crease by using eyeshadow base.

After you’ve applied your base, you can opt to apply your eyeliner first by using an eyeliner pencil and then “smoking” it up by smudging it, or for a more subtle effect, apply your eyeshadow first, and then wet a slanted brush and use a darker eyeshadow tone as an eyeliner substitute.

Keep close to the lash-line, and even though coloring the bottom part of your eyes is an important component to this look, it’s a good idea to use a slightly lighter color and to only line from the middle out, since coloring the bottom of the eye all the way through has a tendency to actually make eyes smaller. Also, don’t forget to smudge! Smokey eyes are all about blurring the lines.

Whether you apply the eyeliner before or after the eyeshadow, the eyeshadow itself is a very important aspect of the smokey eyed look. The base color for your eyeshadow should either match your skintone, or be somewhat light. Creamy or pearly colors are great for this; apply them to the tops of your eyelids up to your brow bone before putting in the darker colors.

The dark-colored eyeshadow is what gives smokey eyes makeup its eponymous “smokey” effect. Once you’re done applying your light-colored base, use an eyeshadow brush to blend in the color, starting at you lash line and working your way up. Make sure that your eyeliner and your eyeshadow also blend, and once you hit the crease of your eyes, tone down the deep color.

One of my favorite smokey eye makeup tips is, after double checking so that your eyes match and the colors are blended; finish off your look with three or four coats of volumizing mascara. It’ll really make your look pop.

The Best Makeup Brushes For A Flawless Face

Makeup can often be a really important part of a person’s daily routine. If you’re the kind of person who can’t leave the house without even a quick cosmetic fix, you’ll know that makeup brushes are an essential buys when out shopping for basic beauty needs.

Most cosmetics already come with their own applicators, but the best makeup brushes will usually need to be bought separately. Of course, if you’re going to spend all of that money, you’re going to have to figure out how to clean makeup brushes. After all, what’s the use of having a really great set of makeup brushes if they’re all gross and grungy?

Of course, there are a lot of different kinds of makeup brushes, with different shapes and sizes, textures, handle lengths, and bristles. Each one has a different function and are great for applying different kinds of makeup. Unless you’re a professional makeup artist though, you don’t really need to buy all of them.

Best Makeup Brushes

If you just want to be able to apply your makeup well, it’s good to stick to a few “essential” brushes that are both versatile and practical, and are the best makeup brushes to suit most people’s makeup needs.

A large powder brush is one of those essentials. It’s a big, full brush with a domed or rounded shape, and it’s useful for dusting on loose powder or brushing off excess.

A concealer brush, on the other hand, has a squarer-shaped head, with corners that are tapered for blending. It should have a long handle and be a comfortable weight for your hand, since it’ll be used for precision applications.

A foundation brush is another makeup brush must-have. It’s a large brush with a flat, wide, and tapered head, useful for cream or liquid foundations.

For blush-on, use a brush that is slightly smaller than a powder brush, with a large head and slight tapering.

For your eye makeup, start with a medium-sized eye shadow brush with a square head slightly tapering corners, and firm but soft bristles. An angled or slanted eye liner brush is also a great addition to your makeup brush set. Try to make sure that the head is small and narrow, with bristles that are soft, but firm, because it’s meant to apply fine lines and blend or soften edges. A lip brush with a small, flat, narrow edge is great for blending and applying lipstick; just make sure that it has a cap and/or a retractable head, for hygienic purposes.

If you want to learn how to clean makeup brushes, but are worried about having to go through a lot of hassle to do it, stop worrying! All you need to do is run the bristles of each brush under some warm water, use a bit of shampoo to work up a bit of a lather, then rinse off as much of the makeup tint as you can, and air dry them. If you take care them, the best makeup brushes can serve you for years.

How To Apply Eyeliner For Bigger Eyes

No makeup regimen is complete without eye makeup, and if you know how to apply eyeliner and eyeshadow, you’ve got a great head start at looking great.

Even though the eyes are commonly just one aspect of a person’s makeup regimen, how to apply eyeliner and eyeshadow can define your look completely. There are a lot of different ways to put on your eye makeup; you can go for a low maintenance, barely-there look, the ever-popular smoky eyes look, or any number of looks.

Before you start though, you’ll need supplies, of course. First of all, you have to have your eyeliner and eyeshadow. The colors you might choose for eyeshadow will depend on your skin tone and the look you want to create.

How To Apply Eyeliner

For eyeliner, while there are a lot of different shades and tones; ranging from barely there to over-the-top, black and dark brown are two of the most absolutely essential eyeliner colors that a person should have. They can come in pressed or loose powder forms, although eyeliners will most commonly be in pencil form or in liquid form.

For eyeshadow, while you get a little leeway with eyeliner –since, as the name might suggests, you’ll probably only need to draw in a line around your eye- the colors you choose for your eyeshadow on the other hand, will have to take your skintone into consideration. For example, extremely dark colors can make very pale-skinned individuals look washed out, and blues and purples can be unflattering to people with yellowish undertones in their skin color.

Whatever eyeshadow palette you might choose though, it’s always good to have a light color, and a darker color. They’re great for blending and creating the illusion of wider, deeper-set eyes.

Usually, it’s good to start with the eyeliner; especially if you’re using an eyeliner pencil and are trying to go for a subtler effect. For a really natural look that can still open up your eyes and make them “pop,” try applying a brown or lighter-colored eyeliner to the outside corner of the top of your eye, near your lashes. Draw in the line lightly; if you’re using an eyebrow pencil or liquid eyeliner, use short strokes and stop two-thirds or three-fourths of the way.

Afterwards, to make sure that your eyeliner doesn’t smudge, “set” it with powder eyeshadow by applying it over the eyeliner. When that’s done, pick out two eyeshadow colors that are close to or complement your natural skin tone; one light, and one deeper hue.

Start with the lighter tone eyeshadow; applying it to your brow-bone and around the top part of your socket. Then, take the deeper color and brush it onto your eyelid; working from the lash-line up and from outside to inside; blending it with the lighter color. Give your eyes a little emphasis by also applying a bit of shadow to your lower lashes. Don’t line the whole thing though; stop halfway, and apply this very lightly as well for a more natural look.

While this might be just particular look to try with your eye makeup, the basic idea of how to apply it can easily be translated by simply varying the colors and the intensity of your application. After all, the question of how to apply eyeliner and eyeshadow doesn’t have to be a tough one to answer.

Mineral Makeup – Do Bare Escentuals & Pur Minerals Work?

In Ancient Rome and Egypt, a lot of the cosmetics that people used contained poisonous substances, like lead and mercury. Of course, nowadays, we don’t voluntarily smear poisonous substances on our skins just to alter our appearances. …Or do we?

Did you know that some cosmetics contain synthetic –and potentially toxic- ingredients that could irritate the skin? Awareness of this has created a demand for makeup made with more natural ingredients, and mineral makeup, or bare minerals makeup, has filled in to address this issue.

Common mineral makeup brands, like Pur Minerals, have several different makeup types, like mineral foundations and lip gloss, and one of the draws for bare minerals makeup is that they are often touted as performing a dual role; not just to enhance or alter a person’s appearance, but to nourish the skin or relieve skin conditions like adult cystic acne as well.

Makeup is a term used to refer to colored products applied to a person’s skin in order to change their appearance. These changes can be as tiny and insignificant as a touch of mineral foundation to even out your skin tone, or as drastic as an elaborately applied array of cosmetics meant to change your look so thoroughly that you’ll almost look like an entirely different person.

Most people turn to more conventional kinds of makeup to fulfill these functions, but there has been a growing trend of going back to the basics and buying bare minerals makeup. Of course, when I use the term “going back to the basics,” I don’t mean that the nasty toxic stuff, like mercury and lead have made a comeback as cosmetics ingredients. Ancient Romans and Ancient Egyptians may have gotten a few things right, like sewage systems and really cool-looking infrastructure, but identifying the toxicity of their cosmetics was clearly not their forte.

Mineral makeup, on the other hand, uses gentler ingredients; minerals from earth, made without any of the synthetic ingredients, like chemicals and dyes that go into most traditional kinds of makeup. There are a lot of different brands of pure mineral makeup, and they come in a lot of different makeup types; just as there are a lot of different kinds of makeup users.

Some people would swear by pure mineral makeup and wouldn’t change out their mineral foundations for all the freebies in the world, and there are those who would roundly denounce mineral makeup as terrible products; even going so far as to call this kind of makeup a sham. Both parties do have their valid points.

On one hand, mineral makeup has been criticized as nothing more than a clever marketing scheme, since most traditional brands of makeup use pretty much the same ingredients. Some also claim that a lot of mineral makeup brands don’t carry shades or colors that fit some customers’ skin types. Then again, the same can be said about practically all the other makeup brands anyway. Some people also claim that mineral makeup has a tendency to dry out skin and aggravate certain skin conditions, and that it can actually accentuate wrinkles, rather than conceal them; making a person look years older.

There are also those who claim that the colors of most kinds of mineral makeup have a slightly ashy undertone that looks particularly unflattering on certain skin types, such as those with yellow undertones to their skin.

On the other hand, mineral makeup fans say that pure mineral makeup is great for a person’s skin. The purer, synthetics-free formulations of mineral makeup, which don’t contain dyes, fragrances, binders, or preservatives, are said to be great for people who have sensitive skin, allergies, acne, or rosacea.

Many also say that mineral makeup can give a person’s skin a special kind of “glow” that traditional kinds of makeup can’t replicate. On top of that, mineral makeup is said to last a lot longer than other kinds of makeup, and is non-comedogenic –which means that it won’t clog your pores and aggravate acne conditions or cause rosacea flare-ups.

Another point in mineral makeup’s favor is the fact that most pure mineral makeup brands have an SPF rating of at least 15, because most of these kinds of makeup contain a fair amount of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you can march off to the beach without slathering on the sunscreen though; while mineral makeup is certainly better than nothing, using usual cream sun-block is still the best way to protect yourself from the sun’s potentially harmful rays.

An example of a brand of pure mineral makeup that has SPF is Pur Minerals, a popular line of mineral makeup and skin care products that not only use all-natural minerals to make their products, but often add other natural ingredients, like shea butter and aloe vera to help bind the product and nourish the skin.

Mineral foundations, concealers, moisturizers, lip-gloss, and even eyeliner and facial wash are part of this particular brand’s line, and many reviewers claim that Pur Minerals is a pretty good brand of mineral makeup to try out, for first-timers.

Want some free samples of top-notch mineral makeup? Click here!

Eyelash Extensions vs. False Eyelashes

Some people have eyelashes so long, that they could probably set a hurricane blowing through distant islands on the other side of the world when they blink. Long, lush eyelashes are great, and they can really open up a person’s eyes, but genetics tends to be a bit of a crapshoot in that department, and for those of us who pulled the short lashes card out of the genetic lottery, worry not! Lush lashes aren’t impossible.

If you want dramatically longer lashes, false eyelashes and eyelash extensions are available just about anywhere. There are even products like Talika lipocils that claim to actually lengthen your eyelashes by nourishing them.

If you would prefer a subtler effect, all you need to do is use a little mascara and a bit of eye makeup; and don’t forget to pick out the best eyelash curler for you and your lashes. A little curl to the lashes can actually go a long way.

The great thing about false eyelashes, or falsies, is that you don’t necessarily have to go to a salon to apply them. They can come in all sorts of designs and colors, and if you want extra-flashy peepers, falsies are the way to go.

You can buy false eyelashes in most beauty stores or drugstores, although if you want special kinds of falsies; sets with feathers and sequins, brightly colored ones, or even ones made to look like parts of a spider web, you may have to dig around online or in specialty stores.

To apply false eyelashes, you usually have to use adhesive to stick them to your lash line. Most falsies come in a kit, and have their own adhesive. Some brands don’t come with them though, but there are a lot of reliable cosmetic adhesives for false eyelashes you can try. For more realistic lashes, the individual strands are usually different lengths, and you can use a pair of small scissors to trim them before applying them.

To stick your falsies on, you usually have to apply the adhesive to the false eyelashes’ lashband and wait a bit, so that the adhesive isn’t runny when you stick them on. Don’t touch the band when you put a false eyelash on; hold it by the hairs, starting from the out corner of your eye and working inward. Place it as close to your actual lash line as possible, making sure that they are firmly affixed as you go along. Try to avoid squeezing your eyes shut too tightly before the glue has dried completely. Afterwards, if you want even more natural-looking lashes, you can curl and apply a bit of mascara.

With false eyelashes, you only have to stick one whole piece onto each eye, but with eyelash extensions, synthetic fibers are applied to individual lashes to make them look longer and more full. This can take a lot of time and effort, but the effect is usually much more natural, and eyelash extensions normally last for a while longer. You can wear eyelash extensions while sleeping, and even while swimming or showering, and they come in all kind of colors and lengths.

Usually, attaching eyelash extensions can take up to two hours, with around thirty to eighty lashes for each eye, but because they’re bonded to each individual lash, the effect, while dramatic, is also a lot more realistic.

If you don’t want to use falsies or go through the trouble of applying extensions, curling your lashes can be a great way to open up your eyes and make your lashes look fuller. Of course, to get the best kind of effect, you have to use the best eyelash curler.

An eyelash curler usually looks like a funky pair of scissors or tweezers, normally made of plastic or metal. It’s a good idea to get eyelash curlers with pads that could be removed, since the pads on eyelash curlers usually need to be replaced once every two months. Some brands of eyelash curlers actually have built-in pad refills, so for easy pad replacement.

To accomplish a nice, natural-looking curled effect that stays, it’s best to heat your eyelash curlers a little bit. Doing this can make a really big difference in how your eyes look, but be warned that it poses a higher risk of injury than regular eyelash curling.

To do this, the best eyelash curlers for the job are usually metal ones, since metal conducts heat much better than plastic does. You can heat up your eyelash curlers using a blow dryer. Or, for only a small amount of money more, you can get a heated eyelash curler that heats the pads on its own. Usually, these handy little gadgets are battery powered, but there are some that you can recharge or attach to an AC or DC adaptor.

A warm eyelash curler ensures that your lashes will conform to their new shape more easily, and stay that way for longer, but you will have to be careful and make sure that the curlers aren’t too hot; you wouldn’t want to burn your eyelids, after all.

Whatever method you want to use to make your eyelashes seem longer and thicker; whether it be using false eyelashes, eyelash extensions, or finding the best eyelash curler, it’s a great idea to supplement the look with a little eyeliner and mascara. After all, when applied correctly, a little makeup can actually go a pretty long way.