[Hands on Review] Motives Liquid Correction Concealer

Motives by Loren Ridinger – Liquid Correction Concealer ($17.12 + tax) (USA Link)

HI!!!!! ß 5 exclamation marks here, my 5^th review already!!!!!

YAY!!!!!

I’ve decided to do something BIG this time, a HUGE sacrifice….. which is….. to show my face! (AND YES! My face with absolutely no make-up on!!!!!)

What makes a good concealer in my own opinion?

Something that conceal, not cover-up. 

Something that won’t make me feel like there’s something sitting on top of my skin trying to cover up the imperfections.

Something that doesn’t sit on top of my acne making it more 3-D!

Something that won’t cake around the eyes, etc. etc…..

So here it is, MOTIVES by Loren Ridinger – Liquid Correction Concealer.

I usually skip concealer as I have a very good foundation that I love but from time to time, I do need concealer as an added coverage.

But on a casual day out such as going to the supermarket, going to a nearby mall, or when I know I’m going to sweat crazy, or just simply when I don’t want to spend the time on makeup, I rely on a concealer to give me that bright and flawless yet natural skin.

SO, WHAT IS IT?

It’s a liquid foundation in a tube! 

On the website, the primary benefits are:

-       - Minimizes the appearance of skin imperfections

-      - Provides medium to full, long-lasting coverage

-      - Vitamin E moisturizes skin

-      - Honeysuckle extract soothes skin

-      - Beeswax provides smooth and even application

-      - Comes in four shades for every skin type

-      - Paraben free

Other than Vitamin E and honeysuckle extract, this bottle is also filled with Japanese honeysuckle and jojoba seed oil!

All these great ingredients contribute to moisturizing and soothing our skin.

TEXTURE?

Very light and liquidy that turns into a creamy but a bit powdery texture.

THEN, HOW TO USE? 

I always take the wand out and place the product on my hand first.

I never point the wand directly onto my face for hygienic reasons.

With a concealer brush or with your finger, spread out the product on your hand. 

Tip #1 – Although the texture of this concealer is very light, it provides great coverage and a little goes a long way.  Don’t over use.  We can always add a second layer if we require more coverage.

Dab the concealer onto the imperfection and dab outwards in circular motion blending concealer with your skin. 

Tip #2 – Do not rub the concealer.  You will just be rubbing the concealer off your skin!

Tip #3 – If you’re paring concealer with a foundation, choose a concealer that is one shade lighter than your foundation to get that perfect match.

RESULTS?   

Here it is, my BIG and HUGE sacrifice!!!!!

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WARNING:  I have applied absolutely NOTHING to my skin other than a moisturizer!  If you’re not ready to take the risk, you may close the page now!!

So…..

HERE IT IS~~~~~

You can see that I have under eye circles, not very serious but they exist. 

There are some light marks in between my brows.

There’s a big acne on the right side under my lip.

So, where did I apply concealer to:

1.    Underneath my eyes for the under eye circles.

2.    At the end of each of my eyes to give my eyes an instant lift

3.    In between my brows to conceal the marks there.

4.    On my acne of course!

5.    A bit on the bridge of my nose to give it a little highlight.

6.    A bit on the sides of my nose and underneath the nostrils to brighten my face a little.  I am VERY afraid of the cold, so my skin tends to be always red around that area since I have runny nose almost 24/7.

TA-DA~~~~~  After applying Liquid Correction Concealer on the above-mentioned places:

And here are the close ups!

(Excuse my messy brow)

You can see that the imperfections are gone and the big acne is nearly gone.

The concealer has totally blended in with my skin and my skin looks fresh and brightened!

THE PROS? 

- Everything! Lol

- With its coverage (medium to full) at this really light texture, I couldn’t ask for more.

- All the soothing and moisturizing ingredients contained in this product.

- The concealer feels very light and soft.

THE CONS?  

- It’s VERY easy to over-use.  I keep taking out too much product even knowing a little goes a long way.  I keep thinking I’m not taking out enough as the product is so light.

SUMMING IT ALL UP! 

I LOVE this concealer.

I personally think the quality of this concealer is way above the price of the product (which also gave me this urge to do the before and after pictures).

It works great with or without foundation.  I’m in love with this concealer.

Putting my hair back down, a little bit of lipstick and I’m all ready to go in just a few minutes time!  SEE YA!

Thank you!!!!!

Any questions or comments, let me know!!!!!

Also let me know what you wanna see next in my reviews!!!!! 

Jojo L.

July 2012

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[Hands-on Review] MOTIVES by Loren Ridinger – Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover

MOTIVES by LorenRidinger – Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover (US Link) 

Hi Everyone!  Here it is, my 4^th review, and still counting. 

As a review writer, I have promised my readers (and myself) that I am going to provide my most honest and neutral comments on the products that I have tried.

This can be tricky as I sell these products myself.

I have been questioning myself - Am I brave enough to tell my readers about the products that are not as good? 

So here it is, a product that I don’t necessarily “like”, but I don’t “dislike” it enough to throw it away (well, plus I don’t want to waste it). 

Take a look at this review either you have this makeup remover or not.  I’m also gonna share how I am going to use the bottle up.

What Do I Look for in an Eye Makeup Remover?

Simple but not so simple.

Something that is safe for contact lens wearers and safe for sensitive eye/skin.

Something that cleanse well and fast but not harsh as my eyes are quite sensitive.

Something that does NOT feel OILY!! I absolutely HATE that oily feeling on my face.

It’ll be a bonus if it soothes my skin.

SO, WHAT IS IT? 

On the website:

·         Gently removes makeup without irritating the eye or surrounding skin

·         Formulated with antioxidants to support a healthy and beautiful complexion

·         Ideal for contact lens wearers

·         Paraben, fragrance and mineral oil free

• Gently removes makeup without irritating the eye or surrounding skin
• Formulated with antioxidants to support a healthy and beautiful complexion
• Ideal for contact lens wearers
• Paraben, fragrance and mineral oil free

After I have received the bottle, the first thing I looked at was the ingredient list.  And to my surprise, I know I will not like this eye makeup remover.  What are some of the ingredients that caught my eye?  Here they are:

Sesame Oil – Helps to keep skin hydrated while having cleansing properties for makeup removal.

Squalane – This one I like.  It’s hydrating properties that’s naturally present in human skin.

Rice Oil – Conditions skin and keep skin hydrated.

Argan Oil – If we know Moroccan Oil is good for our skin, argan oil is just the same thing.  It contains antioxidant and moisturizing properties to protect and moisturize our skin.

Chamomile Flower Extract – Contains powerful antioxidants and also helps cleanse, protect and sooth our skin.

Tea Tree Oil – We all know tea tree oil helps with acne skin.  It is good for cleansing, it has antioxidant properties, and helps to support a health complexion.

After reading the ingredients off the bottle, I was WOW!  But in both good and bad ways.

Good because this bottle of makeup remover is mainly made up of ingredients that are VERY good for our skin.

Bad because having so many different types of oil in the same bottle, I cannot imagine how oily this can be. 

THEN, HOW TO USE? 

This is how I remove my eye makeup.

I pour ample makeup remover on a cotton pad.  I personally use the Shiseido Facial Cotton that’s available at any Shiseido counters, Sephora or Shoppers Drug Mart.  They are on the pricier side, but these pads are very gentle on the eyes.

Also, we want to make sure we pour enough makeup remover on the pad to avoid over-rubbing around our eyes.

Then, I would place the pad (wet with makeup remover) and place it over my eyes IDEALLY for approximately 30 seconds.

I tend to run out of patience and end up only counting 10 seconds.

The purpose of this step is to let the makeup remover do its job in dissolving the eye makeup (less rubbing required after) and also let the skin our eyes to absorb benefitting properties that are in the makeup remover.

Like this makeup remover that we are reviewing.  As it has so many benefitting ingredients, it can act as an “eye mask” while it dissolves eye makeup.

RESULTS?  

It does remove eye makeup, including very very VERY waterproof ones, but it takes time.

It is very gentle on the eye but it does not remove makeup as fast as how I would like it to be.

Although I know the ingredients are very beneficial, but I do find it on the oily side, which I personally dislike a lot.

Excuse the lighting and the posing of my hand.  I’ve never done this before.

I’ll do a better job next time. ^_^

I have placed the cotton pad on my hand for 20 seconds (I did not do it for 30 seconds as I know not everyone will leave it on their eyes for 30 seconds).

As the makeup remover did not remove all the makeup, I soaked another cotton pad and gently rubbed it on my hand. 

THE PROS? 

-          It has a LOT of benefitting properties in the makeup remover.

-          It’s safe for contact lens wearers.

-          It feels gentle on the eyes.

-          It does its job in eye makeup removal.

THE CONS?  

-          No doubt this makeup remover has a lot of benefitting ingredients but I personally think it’s too much in a bottle.  It does not feel as oily as I’ve imagined, but it does feel oily and I hate this feeling myself.

-          It does not remove makeup as fast as I wanted (The first bottle of makeup remover I tried from Motives 1-2 years ago did an excellent job.  It was fast, clean and gentle.)

SUMMING IT ALL UP! 

I have a mascara that I use only on special occasions.  It is water-proof, smudge-proof, oil-proof, swim-proof to a certain extent.  I put it on in the morning and it can last till night time and even through sleep with no problem.  It just stays on and do not come off.

I have always had a hard time finding a good makeup remover for it.  This makeup remover is able to remove this mascara but it takes time.

Motives by Loren Ridinger has been changing its Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover…. I wonder if they are still looking for a better one.

The 1^st one I’ve tried from Motives around 1-2 years ago was my favourite one.  I actually used it all up and I miss it (it’s discontinued L).

Then they changed it to another one which I can say I absolutely hate and they got rid of this product within a few months from launching.  I bet too many people have complained! Haha

This is the 3^rd one that I’ve tried.  It does its job but can be better.

It is good that the ingredients are so good for our skin.  It nourishes while cleansing.

I’d say, if you don’t mind the oily feeling, definitely give this a try.

BUT if you hate that oily feeling like me, skip this! 

I am always hoping that they will bring the first one back.

BONUS – WHAT I DO TO USE UP A BOTTLE OF MAKEUP REMOVER THAT I DO NOT LIKE.

For the current version of the Motives Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover (the one that I wrote a review on just now), I can tolerate it to remove my eye makeup.

But for the bottle from before that I mentioned I absolutely hated, or for any makeup removers that you absolutely hate, don’t throw it away!!  You paid for it!

So what do I do with it?

I use it to remove makeup from my makeup brushes in between application!

And I use it to remove face makeup, and follow with a very good cleanser to wash them all off!

Thank you!!!!!

Any questions or comments, let me know!!!!!

Also let me know what you wanna see next in my reviews!!!!! 

Jojo L.

June 2012

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[Hands-on Review] Motives by Loren Ridinger – Essential Brow Kit

Motives by Loren Ridinger – Essential Brow Kit ($30.06 + tax)

Hi Everyone!! So here I am again, still counting, my 3^rd review!!

I hope my reviews are useful to everyone.  Remember, if you have any questions or comments (both goods and bads), let me know!!

I’ve done two reviews on Fixx products, the hottest and best-seller Fixx Lash Extend and a Microdermabrasion that everyone would need, 

 This time I’m going to shift over and talk about one of the most important feature to our face, BROWS!!!!!

Our brows frame our face.  Our brows can make us look young vs. mature, trendy vs. the 60s, energetic and bright vs. dull and tired, etc etc. 

This Essential Brow Kit is a bit of the costly side, let’s find out if it’s worth the money!

I personally have pretty full brows, doing my brows is not something I must do before I step out the house.  Usually I only draw my brows when it’s an occasion, or when I really feel like doing something “extra”. 

SO, WHAT IS IT?

The name says it all, an ESSENTIAL brow kit (USA Link). 

What makes it ESSENTIAL?  Because the kit contains of 3 items to complete the brow for any look, any occasion and ALL skin tones:

1. Eye Brow Wax 
2. Eye Brow Powder in Light
3. Eye Brow Powder in Dark

Okok, so, how is it essential?

There’s an eye brow wax for sculpting the brow and to hold the brow hair stay in place. 

The 2 powders can be mixed together to achieve different shades of colours.  To achieve the shade that is just right for you!!!!!

For me, I like dying my hair….. and I’m pretty sure many girls out there are CRAZYYYYY hair lovers!!

I need to adjust the colour of my brow depending on the hair colour that I have!

For the makeup artists out there, this is essential because this is the only eye brow product that you will need to carry in your makeup case!  No more bringing all different shades of eye brow pencils is needed! Haha

With the mixing on colour, you can achieve any and all eye brow colours that you need for your customers!

WHY USE IT?

Simply, our brows frame our face!!!!!

THEN, HOW TO USE? 

Dip your eye brow brush into the wax, and then dip the brush into the powder.

A very basic guideline is:  ONE WAX THREE COLOURS…. meaning to start off with dipping your eye brow brush into the wax, and then dip the brush into the any one of the powders (or any combinations thereof) to a total of THREE dips. 

That will be enough colour and powder for the brow. 

Just a little quick tip – If you have DARK hair colour, your brow should be a shade LIGHTER than your hair colour.

And vice versa, if you have LIGHT hair colour, your brow should be a shade DARKER than your hair colour. 

RESULTS?   

I don’t know what to say!

It works and it lasts. Haha

THE PROS? 

- A wax and 2 shades of powder all in one compact little palette which makes it easy to bring and to store.

- The wax sculpts and holds my brows…. And the two powders can make any shade to match my hair and look, and it can also make any shades for my customers when I’m doing applications. 

THE CONS?  

- I don’t know if it’s me or the product, but mine broke one time when I dropped it on the floor.  It was all scattered.  It was not a good experience as it broke when my make-up event was about to start.  (I fixed it afterwards when I got home)

- The brush that is included in the kit.  To be very honest, I do not like the brush in the kit.  I use my own eye brow brush instead, it does a much better job! 

The brush included in the kit is harder to control and for some reason, it’s hard to clean!

SUMMING IT ALL UP! 

If you are a makeup artist or frequently needs to change your brow colour, then this is an essential must-have for you!!!!  $30, you can achieve any colour for anyone.

If you are a makeup lover, you would probably want to add this to your collection so you can always achieve the colour you want that accompanies your look!

If you are just a normal lady who just need one basic eye brow colour, then don’t waste your money on this as you probably won’t need to adjust colours.  Just get an eye brow pencil in a colour that suits you! 

Thank you!!!!!

Any questions or comments, let me know!!!!!

Also let me know what you wanna see next in my reviews!!!!! 

Jojo L.

May 2012

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DOES MAKEUP EXPIRE? WHEN YOU SHOULD REPLACE YOUR COSMETICS

Ever wondered how long to keep your mascara, blush, or your favorite foundation for? Most expert have agreed that since cosmetics aren’t required to list an expiration date, the truth should be told about your makeup brushes, bacteria, and that pretty pink blush.

Most cosmetics contain some bacteria before you even purchase them. When you open up your makeup, airborne bacteria rush in. The person who handles the makeup normally adds bacteria directly to the makeup either through touching, wiping, or dipping into the products with unclean hands or brush. Most of your cosmetics shelf life can be extended if you use basic hygiene before use.

Remember to keep your hands, face, brushes, or any applications you may use clean as these can contain bacteria that will spread to your makeup. Instead of touching your makeup directly, try using a spoon or application to scoop the makeup out, or for foundation, try to pour a little into your palm. Also, another big not to do is share your makeup with others. The bacteria that others have on their hands or faces may be different than your own and when introduced could contaminate your own makeup.

Courtesy of Fashion Style You

When is the best time to toss your cosmetics and replace them?
Experts agree that mascara is the one cosmetic that should be replaced on a regular basis. The one thing about mascara is that it is the likeliest to cause infections – like pink eye. Mascara normally runs out in about two and a half months anyway, but experts say three months is when its time to replace. The reason mascara is perfect for storing bacteria is its tube like shape. When you take the wand out and put it back in, more air flows into the tube pushing bacteria in along with it.

Liquid Foundation is one of those products that can easily contain and keep bacteria alive. The best amount of time to keep your Liquid Foundation is between three and six months. After six months the preservatives have probably broken down leaving your product with a different smell or with a different texture than it had before.Powders of any sort, pressed or loose should be tossed out and replaced after a year of use. That includes eye shadows, blushes or just a regular finishing powder.

Lip Gloss, Lipsticks, Eye/Lip Pencils all need to be replaced after one year. Since you can sharpen your eye and lip pencils you can keep bacteria down – make sure to do this weekly. You can figure that you will need to replace once the products starts to dry and crumble.

Most products will let you know when to replace them by breaking, chipping, drying out, crumbling, or getting a strange odor. But if you are like the majority of women out there who buy their favorite lipstick and now it has been discontinued but still use the tube from three years ago, ladies its time to toss and replace.

Have you heard any other makeup expirations? Tell us in the comments below!

KEY TO HEALTHY SKIN—HYDRATION

Do you feel that your skin is missing that radiant, glowing, supple look? Hydrating your skin on a daily basis will result in healthier, more youthful looking skin. Being in the younger adult demographic, I didn’t realize how beneficial starting to moisturize my skin earlier in life was. Turns out, hydration can help young adults to maintain their youthful look longer and older adults to reduce fine lines and improve skin elasticity. Win-win for all ages!

Courtesy of http://www.charmingconcept.com

What Hydration CAN do

There are many benefits to hydrating your skin. As we get older, our skin decreases in its ability to regulate water balance—making moisturizing daily even more essential. There is no miracle moisturizer or serum out there to magically make wrinkles disappear, but dry skin tends to lose elasticity sooner making wrinkles more pronounced. Like I stated earlier, it is never too early to start this process because your skin will age slower over time. This goes for the men out there too—ladies, make your men start hydrating their skin! Yes, we want you to look good as well  Skin will look smoother, plumper, and healthier in general.

What Hydration CANNOT do

Starting to moisturize even multiple times a day will not open the door to your past and allow your skin to magically go back in time. (Bummer) It won’t suddenly turn you into a supermodel either—don’t get your hopes up!
Here are a few tips to follow:

• First and foremost, invest in a good moisturizer. I suggest Skintelligence® Skin Perfecting Complex (US Link). Only takes a few drops to cover your face, neck, hands or whatever you need it for
• Drink plenty of water—no better substitute for water; it’s good for our bodies and our skin
• Steer clear of soft drinks…this one is hard for me because Diet Mountain Dew is my bestie, but these sugary drinks only de-hydrate our skin. (I’ll at least work on cutting back)
• Don’t stay in the bath/shower very long—this can actually cause our skin to lose natural oils and dry out more. Also use warm versus hot water
• If you smoke or drink alcohol excessively, don’t! Or at least take baby steps to getting these things out of your life. Note: I said don’t drink excessively; there is nothing wrong with having a few drinks on occasion—just don’t get sloppy every weekend
• Finally, don’t over cleanse your skin. Of course, washing is a necessity to maintaining healthy skin, but over-doing it can cause dryness or irritation

Now that we know how important daily hydration of our skin is, we can all start to improve the overall texture of our skin. Remember, moisturizing doesn’t discriminate against age or gender!

Who out there has tried Skintelligence® Skin Perfecting Complex?