Fabulous Over Forty – Where Beauty Is Ageless

BECCA Cosmetics was created by Rebecca Morrice Williams, a makeup artist from Perth, Australia.  She was looking for the perfect foundation that concealed blemishes, but also looked and felt natural, met the demands of makeup artist and the busy modern woman.  That’s quite a big requirement!  She had a difficult time finding such products, so she went about creating her own line called BECCA.  

I’ve been testing some of the BECCA products and have to say I am really liking them!   Today I’m going to concentrate on the complexion products.  The only product in the line that I’ve used before was the loose powder, which I listed as one of my “Favorites of 2009″ for beauty products.   The powder is so light it’s virtually untraceable and gives skin a beautiful finish.

The BECCA line believes that a flawless complexion is the basis for beautiful makeup.   Her line doesn’t offer five six or even as few as eight shades of foundation and/or concealer.  No, BECCA offers no less than 34 concealer shades and at least 30 foundation shades!   That’s incredible!

Compact Concealer - Each compact comes with two formulas.   One is a medium formula that works well in the undereye area and the other is extra-cover formula for blemishes.  I’ve been using the shade Cashew and applying with the concealer brush and then tapping the concealer into place.  It conceals smoothes out beautifully. 

Stick Foundation - A stick foundation can be so convenient to use, but if it’s too sticky or you can’t find a shade to match they are a turn off.    I’ve been using a shade that matches my skin tone beautifully, which is Cashew.   I place a swipe down my nose, across the forehead, a spot on the chin and a couple swipes on my cheeks, they don’t need to be heavy swipes either.   Then I take my foundation brush and blend.   It blends very easily and smoothly and gives my skin a beautiful finish.   If you have really dry skin, I probably wouldn’t recommend a stick foundation.   This is great for normal or oily skin, the coverage is definitely buildable and when in a bind you can double it as your concealer.   The BECCA stick foundation has SPF 30, which is wonderful!  It also contains vitamins A, D & E.

Luminous Skin Colour Tinted Moisturizer - A very sheer tinted moisturizer that blends into skin beautifully!   This too is buildable and if the first application is too sheer for you, you may want to add another layer.   In doing so, it still won’t be heavy, but light and slightly dewy.   Mostly, it just blends into the skin so nicely it is virtually undetectable.   This foundation has an SPF of 25+, contains vitamins A, B, C & E and anti-inflammatory and antisepctic ingredients.  Luminous Skin Colour is good for all skin types.  If your skin is oilier, you won’t need to use a moisturizer underneath, if you are really dry an added moisturizer won’t change how beautifully this makes your skin look.

I think when the BECCA line was created, Rebecca hit the nail on the head when trying to reach her goal of having concealing features, but keeping it natural looking.  It creates a beautiful canvas.

Tomorrow I’ll talk about the color products in the line.

“I was born with a makeup brush in my mouth, not a silver spoon”

 - Judith August

I had the fabulous opportunity to speak with Judith August recently, after having the opportunity to use her brilliant concealing products.   I loved hearing the story of this amazing woman and how she came about creating Judith August Cosmetics.   

Judith started as a model when she was just 15 years old and had a contract for 3 or 4 years with a major department store in LA.   She was “the face” of the store, as they say.   From there she went to New York to compete on a different level.   And the competition was great.  She was competing with girls that were 14, 15 years old, but her biggest challenge was they didn’t have bags under their eyes like she did.   At that time, she was too young to have surgery, so in order to compete she had to learn how to have correct lighting and it began her passion for mixing makeup to cover her under eye area in a way that worked for her.   So young, and yet such an innovator!

Throughout the years Judith did a wide variety beauty industry jobs.   From an image consultant, to doing makeup training for airlines and various corporations to working for plastic surgeons to help their patients with covering up the bruising from cosmetic surgery, she was doing it all over the years.   Even opening her own beauty boutique while living in New Orleans in the 1970’s.    The boutique was called “Let’s Face It”, and according to Judith, “I opened one of the first beauty boutiques in the South.   My store even got a contract with Lancome, which was very competitive to have received and the department stores weren’t happy.”   After doing that venture for about 10 years, she moved back to LA.

Judith had a turning point in her life.   Judith said “I received a call at 11:00 p.m., a woman was all in a tizzy as she wasn’t sure what blue eye shadow to wear with a dress she was wearing to a luncheon the next day.   I decided right then and there that I needed to refocus on corrective needs.” 

While working with a plastic surgeon is when she created her first product the Everything Pencil.  Judith had actually been out shopping for supplies for her job when she ran across a generic pencil  that only said “Made in Germany”.    But it worked fabulously and patients wanted to know what the pencil was.   That was when she decided to create her own pencil.   Getting advice from the doctors as to what should be put into it, they requested things like Vitamin E, Aloe and other healing properties.   She then went to a pencil manufacturer to produce the new pencil.    It’s called the Everything Pencil because that’s what it does, everything!    From my personal experience, this truly is the pencil that says and does it all.   From covering dark spots to a vericose vein on my leg to broken capillaries.  This covers it all and completely.

 The product from Judith’s line that I am absolutely in love with is the Orange Masking Creme.   Don’t let the name or even the hue scare you.  It covers my under eye darkness like nothing before.  After using so many concealers that are yellow based, along came this one that is a flesh tone.   I truly thought it would look like I had peachy raccoon eyes if I used it, like many others have.  But this blended into my skin amazingly well without any shade markings and the coverage that is truly remarkable.   I am obsessed with the Orange Masking Creme!   You can use one or the other shades or blend them to get custom coverage that works for you.  I also have never had any settling in fine lines either. 

Judith also has several other products in her line, so be sure to check them out on her website.    I was so excited to learn that Judith is also writing a book that she hopes to have finished by Fall.  Not only do I love beauty books, but I am always eager to learn something new.   I think Judith will be a great teacher for all of us as this book isn’t just about pretty makeup pictures, but about actually teaching us.  

Judith said, “Because of my husband’s job, I traveled all over the world.   I recall one night while in Sierra Leone we were having dinner with the minister of something and his wife who was dressed in elaborate robes.   When she learned what I did with makeup she asked me if I could help her with correcting a mark on her face that bothered her.”

 “It made me realize that no matter where we are or where we’re from, we’re all sisters in this world.”  

“I beleive in a nip and tuck here and there without going crazy.   We live in a world that has so much to offer and why not take advantage of that.   If not choosing to nip and tuck there are other ways to look good too.”

I asked Judith what she kept in her makeup bag, and surprisingly very little.

• Of course the Everything Pencil
• Fabulous Finish Foundation – it’s a wonderful powder to cream foundation
• A lip liner - finding the right one is important
• Lipstick – private label stuff that’s inexpensive.  I recently bought an expensive $30 lipstick and it doesn’t stay on any better than my one that costs a few dollars.
• Mascara – in black only
• A little bit of brown eye shadow – you can try all the trendy colors, but your skin tone is either in a cool or warm tone.  There are ranges within those tones from light to dark, but realize that some of the trend colors are just not for you.

Judith’s products can be found at JudithAugustCosmetics.com, (check out her blog on her site too – you might find some wonderful tips!) Beauty.com, and various salons and spas and major catalogs.

I loved talking with Judith, and I hope to someday meet her in person.  Oh the tips I could learn, but I guess I’ll have to wait for her book in the meantime!

Several months ago I had run out of my concealer I kept in my drawer at work.  We all know how tragic being without a concealer can be!   Especially when running from work to an after work party or event, you want to look polished after a long day at work.   Since there’s a Target right across the skyway from me, I ran over there to see what I could find.   I tested the JK Jemma Kidd Touch up Concealer and really liked the texture.   It’s available in 3 shades, so not a lot of range, but the light shade worked best for me.  I liked the coverage I got and the creamy texture and the all in one brush applicator with product made it easy.  

Then a few months later Bobbi Brown came out with her corrector called Tinted Eye Brightener in the almost identical style pen   Turn to click to get the product up into the attached brush end and it’s all in one – no need for a separate brush or a separate container for the product. Both are small enough to fit in your hand nicely too and I really like the packaging that they are in.  Bobbi’s is a brightener, so as you can see below (left) it is a thinner product meant for a concealer to go over it, or just to brighten the under eye are if you have really dark circles, and it has a wide range of shades.

I think many people use the Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener as a concealer.  Bobbi Brown’s is $38, the JK Jemma Kidd concealer is only $15!  As you can see the JK Jemma Kidd product is a bit more dense, but it is still creamy, covers nicely and I don’t have a problem with it settling in fine lines.   I really like this texture for a concealer, and at a savings of $23 over Bobbi Brown’s, it’s well worth it!   I’ll be buying JK Jemma Kidd Concealer again when it runs out.  

One day while searching the web, I came across a website by celebrity makeup artist  Troy Jensen.   He does amazing work and his photography is quite incredible as well.    Click his highlighted name to check it out yourself.

I noticed that he used a lot of Jouer makeup.   I had heard a little about this line a long time ago, but to see these amazing results that Troy had using  Jouer, I had to check into it further.   I went to their website and saw that you can purchase Jouer product online or at Henri Bendel.   Since I’m in NYC in a few weeks, I figured I will be checking this out for sure.   But, in the meantime I was contacted by their rep asking if I’d be interested in trying a few products.  How’’s that for good karma!  Here’s what I’ve been using:

I put the Age-Repairing Brightener under my eyes.  It gives me great coverage and I love the fact that it is good for my eyes as well.  That’s the thing with this line – a lot of beauty benefiting ingredients.  This has concentrated Dermaxyl® Complex, Orchid Complex, Camellia Oil, and Vitamins A, B & E.   All great for moisturizing and for fighting those things we hate, called free radicals.

I then place this Age-Repairing Concealer on a few areas on my face, like places I may have broken capillaries and the such.  It gives great coverage and it stays put.  You don’t want to put this under your eye as it may be a bit too much for that, but anywhere else you need an extra bit of coverage, it’s perfect.

When done with those steps I use this Age-Repairing Perfector.   I have a lot of discoloration and redness that doesn’t always cover with a lightweight foundation, so this is perfect for evening out  your skin tone.   You can layer this depending on the coverage you like.  

Some days when I don’t feel like using a foundation (gasp!) but need some coverage to even out my skin, this is all I use – I don’t use a foundation.  I don’t think my makeup bag will ever be without this again.  Right now I am using #4 and I think come fall I will need to get #3 for my fair skin.   This isn’t a heavy feeling product, yet it covers and smooths so well.   It also contains Dermaxyl® Complex and the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory Vitamin E, Arnica Oil, and Japanese Tea Extract. 

And lastly to prep my face for color and want a foundation, I use the oil-free Luminizing Moisture Tint.  When I want a bit more “finish” or coverage I use this and for me, it has been the best tinted moisturizer I have ever used.   I’ve used other “luminizing” tinted moisturizers before and I felt like I looked like I had put a coat of bad shimmer all over my face.   Not with this – it’s just a tiny hint of luminizer so you get a fresh look to your face, not something that screams “SHIMMER”!  

This is oil-free, water resistant, fragrance free and hypoallergenic.  And it contains SPF 20 to protect from UVA and UVB rays.  Love that! 

I have used these products every day since getting them.   I know my other face-prep products are wondering when I’m going to pick them up, and I can honestly say I don’t know.   Now I am really dying to get to NYC to check out the whole line and add a few color pieces to my collection.

Have you heard of Vasanti cosmetics before?   Well I hadn’t either until recently.  Currently their products are available across Canada at select Rexall and Shoppers Drug Marts, and online at their website and at Amazon.com

I love their philosophy – “Our goal is for all women to celebrate their natural beauty, embrace their unique characteristics and find what they love about their looks.   That’s why we’ve developed products that are simple to use, luxuriously textured and feel great on.”   So three Canadian women did just that when they created Vasanti.   Hooray for these women!

I’ve been trying a few products and here’s what I think of the ones I’ve tried:

These women nailed it with this Liquid Cover-Up!  I have tried more cover-ups, concealers, whatever you want to call them, than I care to admit.   Some work good – coverage may be good, but colors off, or they don’t last, or they settle into the wrinkles.  It seems like you just can’t get all aspects of it to work at once.  Some I’ve thought I’ve really loved until now.   This cover-up is fabulous!  You just need the tiniest dab on the inner corner and work it outward under your eye area.   It’s non drying, coverage lasts all day (even after being caught in a recent rainstorm) and it never, ever, ever, settles into my wrinkles.  I have now tossed out many other well known, highly touted cover-ups that do not compare to this.  For my fair skin, I have been using shade V1.

The blush is in this attractive, mirrored compact.   It may be small, but it packs a punch.  It’s a highly pigmented soft powder and long wearing – several hours long wearing.   I’ve been using the shade Sayan Blush and it’s a pretty peach with a hint of pink – a natural looking flush for this fair skinned girl.

This Tinted Lip Balm is so soothing to your lips with just a hint of sheer shine and color.   Made with Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Meadowfoam Seed Oil,  Sunflower Oil and Olive Oil your lips are sure to love it!   I’ve been using the shade Bahamas, and it adds a light brownish plum shade to my lips - perfect for casual day coverage.

The eye cream called Eye Wonder is a unique texture.  To me it feels like a cross between a cream and a gel.   It is not as lightweight as some creams, but soothing and a little bit tackier like a gel.  With a collogen fiber building peptides to minimize the lines and wrinkles.   It’s also said to reduce under eye darkness and puffiness.    So far I like this eye cream, but I haven’t been using it long enough to report its effects long term.

I truly am surprised this is considered a “drugstore brand”.   It is much higher quality than your typical drugstore beauty products.  These are the type of products you would normally see in departments stores.   I highly recommend giving these products a try – these three women really did a fabulous job in creating this line and it makes me want to try more!

I’ve heard many great things about Three Custom Color Specialists in magazines and how they can match your favorite lipstick or color product that is discontinued that you may have loved so much.   But they are much more than that!

The beautiful new Spring Collection is inspired by Paradise on Earth and the Seychelles Islands off the east coast of Africa.    The shades in this collection are vibrant but very wearable because of their sheerness.

I’ve been trying the Frangipani Sheer Lipstick and this lipstick is not like any other I’ve tried.   To me it seems more like a tinted lip balm; so easy to wear and moisturizing as well.   Perfect for a hint of moisturizing color on your lips that is buildable in coverage as well.  Don’t let the color right in the tube scare you.   It looks intense, but is sheer.

I’ve also been trying the Poppy Lip & Cheek Stain.   When I first opened this color, I went – “WOW!  There is no way I could wear this”.  But I was completely wrong.   It’s so sheer that it just adds a sheer pop of color for your cheeks or your lips.   The little compact it comes in is perfect for popping in even the smallest of clutches for touch ups.

Frangipani on top and Poppy Lip and Cheek Stain on bottom.

I have also been using the Crème Concealer/Foundation.  Number 2 is the shade that matches my skin tone best.   This can be used in many manners.   Use a brush or your fingertip for a concealer, a wet or dry sponge all over the face for foundation or mix it with your moisturizer for a tinted moisturizer.   I like it as a concealer as it doesn’t settle in the creases around my eyes and gives me fantastic coverage without being heavy.

I now will be thinking of Three Custom Color Specialist for more than custom blending discontinued lipsticks.