A Love Story: Born This Way Concealer (Part 2)

Too Faced Born This Way Concealer
10 Shades $28

Okay, now that you survived my heartbreak story with Born This Way Foundation, let's move on to their concealer, because, without exaggeration, I will tell you that Too Faced Born This Way Concealer is life changing.

Would you like to look 5 years younger tomorrow?  Does a line blurring, shadow covering, moisturizing, stay put in a million degrees and 100% humidity concealer sound too good to be true???  I would think so...

But, I'm telling you the emes Lovelies. Simply put, conceivably we could all throw whatever lurks in our makeup bags in the garbage, but there is a glitch...

A Love Story: Too Faced Born This Way Concealer (Part 1)

Too Faced Born This Way Concealer
10 Shades $28

Have I ever left Sephora or Ulta empty handed???  Truthfully? Not.  I popped into Ulta with a pit in my stomach... I had a feeling that my beloved Bare Minerals Chasing Your Dreams Lipstick was a summer romance and I was right... It was over.

Thank heavens for the Internet...

As I was leaving, I saw a display for Too Faced Born This Way Concealer and stopped in my tracks...Back in September, I was enamored, to have found the best shade match to my natural skin, with Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in "Golden".

It was the first time I put my big girl panties on, and tried a medium/full coverage foundation.  Crushing my fears of looking old and overly made up, my skin looked natural and flawless.  I proclaimed it my Holy Grail foundation and pledged monogamy for life... Or so I thought.

Born This Way turned out to be a sensation, so Too Faced smartly decided to up the number of shades it was offered in. I went back to Ulta and purchased a new bottle of Golden, (perhaps the first time I have ever used a foundation to the Q-Tip swabbing end, I might add), giving it no thought, until the next morning when I opened it to apply it.

Surprisingly the color was perceptibly different!  How could this be??? Fortunately, I still had the original, plus my receipt for the newly purchased one. Assuming it was just an off bottle, I went back and inspected each and every one, side by side with my original, nothing matched. I corralled several associates to confirm my assertion that I wasn't a madwoman.  The verdict was unanimous. Crazy shade not crazy woman.  

Return accepted.

My hope was, the problem was just Ulta's , so I tried my luck at Sephora. Same sorry tale.  Here's the thing.  Too Faced did a great thing by expanding the shades it is offered in, because, in theory, minus one,  many more people would be able to use it. It really is an amazing product and I highly recommend you sample it.

So, bitterly, we parted ways,  yet still, I couldn't resist buying Too Faced Born This Way Concealer. Some how, some way, I hoped my love affair could be rekindled.

Partie deux, tomorrow.

xox,
DD

Review: IT Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara

IT Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara
$24

I have a somewhat iffy relationship with IT Cosmetics.  Overall, I would say I have returned more items then I have kept.  

My Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara was on its last clumpy legs, and I decided to return my replacement Born This Way Foundation because I think it will be way too heavy for the summer months and because I noted a distinct difference in their Golden shade, now that they have amped up the number of offerings.  Huge SIGH!

On a whim, I picked up  IT Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara.  Maybe the life sized displays at the cash register had something to do with it as well...

I got a lovely surprise Friday morning...this stuff is good! Full disclosure, I tried one eye with a primer (as I always do,) and the other without. The first coat without a primer was a bit anemic, but with? Oohh la la!

What resulted was a lush, long, full fan of very black lashes. reasonably clump free for a first attempt, no flakes throughout the day and it washed off without any tug or toil.

Nice!

For those of you who want more details, here you go:

Clinically shown results!

• 96% said their lashes looked stretched!
• 96% saw dramatic volume & length!
• 96% saw plumper-looking lashes!
• 100% saw a fuller lash line!

Anti-aging & lash-loving! 

• Elastic Stretch Technology
• Lash-Lifting Polymers
• Volumizing Collagen
• Hydrolyzed Keratin
• Proteins and Peptide-Infused
• Biotin

Key Benefits:

• Game-changing, exclusive Elastic Stretch Technology for volume & length!
• Lash-Changing Power Brush for maximum reach, lift, separation & curl
• Super Black pigment plus collagen to condition as you coat

Happiness! Certainly one to try...Diva divined!

xox,

DD

Review: Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
12 Shades $39

I'll admit that when I here the words Medium-Full Coverage describing a foundation, I immediately think, "not for me!" It conjures up a combination images of bad skin and newscasters, who unfortunately, are left with no pore unviewed, courtesy of HD TV.

What do I need this for?

The buzz on Too Faced Born This Way foundation is phenomenal.

I am a huge fan, and liberally take advantage of Sephora's sampling program. No matter what is written, the only thing that matters is how a product performs for us individually. Having the ability to test a product on freshly washed and prepped skin, not layered over other makeup while playing in store, is a world of difference. I also love trying things out for several days so I can see how it wears and washes off, before pulling the trigger on a purchase.  I was happy to sample Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in "Golden" and as always, hoped for the best.

For starters, I've never seen a foundation that so closely matched my skin tone, which is the big push behind this foundation. Despite the fact that it is a medium to full coverage foundation, it is meant to be virtually undetectable, your skin, but literally perfected:

What it is:
An oil-free foundation for natural-looking, full coverage and a beautiful, radiant finish. 

What it does:
Born This Way is an oil-free foundation that masterfully diffuses the line between makeup and skin. For coverage so undetectable, you can’t see the makeup or the imperfections—just a natural-looking, luminous, flawless complexion. The revolutionary formula is infused with a potent combination of coconut water to naturally replenish moisture levels; nature’s resilient alpine rose to brighten the skin’s appearance and promote elasticity; and hyaluronic acid for a smoother, more youthful appearance. 

Only the tiniest bit is needed, and it is best applied as suggested by putting a dot in the center of the face and then fanning out with fingertips or a brush. For those who would prefer a hair less coverage, I would recommend combining it with a spritz of a hydrating mist if you have one, or, in a pinch, I'm sure good old H2O would suffice.

So, can I get past my own bias of thinking, who me? "needing" a medium to full coverage foundation.  Well, I guess that depends on how you define "need".

Can I get used to looking radiant, spotless and flawless everyday? Can I appreciate a product that stays put and doesn't fade or change color even during one of the busiest times of my work year? One that lets me layer blush over it seamlessly?

Ya.  I can.  Afterall what's in a word???

xox,
DD