Make-Up Remover

I am going to share with you a beauty secret.  Gather round the glow of your monitor/phone screen.

Once upon a time lived a thirty-three year old woman with fair skin in a dry climate.  The ravages of age tore at her fragile skin, born in the worst place for her skin type.

But the woman would not give in.  She fought these battles and vowed to try to preserve her skin.  She used sun screen and avoided tans.  She moisturized well and drank lots of water.

But do you know her understated secret of youthful skin?  It wasn't high priced luxury eye make-up remover.  (This actually dried out my under eye area and made me look older! Gasp!)

It wasn't the much talked about oil of coconut.

It was the simple oil of avocado.

She used it first, gently massaging it into the skin to dissolve the make-up (even water proof mascara or glitter eye-shadow glued on with Too faced Glitter Glue or a bright red lip).  Then she rinsed, using warm water (never use hot water as it dries out the skin).  She followed, using a gentle cleanser to remove the residual oil and dirt.  She finished with cool water to rinse the cleanser and followed with a good moisturizer.

Avocado Oil contains Sterolin,which is good for softening skin and aiding in the fading of age spots.  It has many other vitamins like A, D, and E.  It absorbs well and doesn't break the skin out like Coconut Oil might for the sensitive.

I get asked all the time what I do to my skin to make it look so young and this is my secret.  I pass my secrets to you.  You're welcome.

 In a pinch, when I'm not feeling the full face routine for whatever reason I just use a micellar water like this one.  It does clean off make-up decently.  It is great if you are camping.  This will disappoint you for waterproof make-up.

So, while I'm a advocate of taking care of your skin, I don't feel you have to break the bank to do it.  I bought my avocado oil for 11.59 at Vitacost.  I used Ebates (I'm broke, not stupid!).  I have had it for months and it is cheap, easy, great for your skin, and amazing for the winter.  You can also use it for cooking, so yay!  Although, I'm totally weird and keep certain oils for cooking and others for cosmetics.  It's like cleaning towels and face towels.  You understand...right?

* I bought these products with my own hard earned cash.  There were no nefarious offers for my sample reviews or thought process.

** The Ebates link is one of those points for me thing.  If you wish to do so you may just go to Ebates and use them and avoid giving me points.  Just like my family.... Insert sad face.  Lol!  Seriously joking!

Jaclyn's Gems

I have a bit of an addiction.  I've already confessed to my make-up addiction.  No need for a rehash.  However, I am also addicted to YouTube. You cannot tell my fan-girl butt that Jaclyn Hill does any wrong.  You don't know Jaclyn Hill?

 Is the rock a cozy place?  The lichen to your liking?  Seriously?!

 This is the video that is pertinent to the subject matter, Jaclyn Hill, Kylie Jenner tutorial.  Oh, Jaclyn.  Jaclyn Hill is this Tesla born spark of vivacious energy.  Doesn't hurt that the woman has looks to kill, like a shot gun. Bang.  Then the Make-Up God, himself,  does a review. Wayne Goss review.  It totally cements the urge to buy.

At that point, I'm thinking that I have to have the 1995 lipstick or I will die.  I might be exaggerating.  But what else would convince my broke .... rear end to buy?

So, Bam!, out comes the Debit Card.

I bought the Jaclyn Gems Collection.  It sold for $69.00 on the website.  I didn't like that the Gerard Cosmetics site didn't have in depth descriptions of the colors I was purchasing.  However, once I ordered, the shipping was fan freaking tastic.

It shipped very fast.  The packaging was lovely. Hmm.  The packaging on this and my first post seem to be a match.  I blame Gargamel.  I mean, yeah, seems to be a trend in the packaging.  Gold = Luxury.

I seriously loved the packaging.  It is flashy but somehow elegant and looks great in display.

From left to Right:  Buttercup, Butter Cream, 1995, and Rose Hill.  Oh man, I was excited.  They were such staple colors.

From left to right: Rose Hill, Butter Cream, 1995.  Then for demonstration purposes, MAC Angel, Gerard Cosmetics Buttercup, MAC Syrup.  

I loved the colors.  The lip glosses are very pigmented.  As are the the lipsticks.  They have an average of four hours of wear.  Which isn't bad.  

Rose Hill is a lovely rose hued gloss.  It has a slight citrus smell.  It sells for $24.00 on the site.

Butter Cream is a nice nude pink gloss with the same nifty light up packaging with the convenient mirror on the side. It sells for $24.00 individually.

 1995 is a 90's inspired brownish color with quite a bit of red under tones (perhaps too much for me, but it does grow on you, so I suggest trying it more than once if you have it and think you aren't a fan).   This sells for $19.00 individually.

 Buttercup is a pretty nude pink that is on the warmer side.  It sells for $19.00 individually.

None of them are particularly moisturizing.  They aren't the Sahara, but they are a bit drying.  Buttercup can look a bit odd if one isn't careful because of how nude it is and because it is so pigmented.

Now to the bones.  I really like them.  I like the packaging.  However, unless you get a great discount or seriously want the products because you recognize Jaclyn as a goddess, they are not worth your broke budget.  They are average as far as product.  Without the discount and the hype, they just don't cut the exorbitant prices.  If you have the means, go ahead and go wild.  If you are talking earning $10.00 an hour, you don't need these.  

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

As a broke woman, with money oozing into such luxuries as my health plan and electricity, sometimes it's hard to justify my love of make-up. Hourglass is one of those make-up moments.  It's recognized as being awesome, but at $35.00 a blush I have to look at that being a little over three hours of pay to afford.  Then they introduce the palette.  $58.00 for three blushes and on the Sephora Rouge discount?

I drooled.  I researched.  Should I give into the temptation? The research was varied.  So much love and then the hate.  I looked at people who knew the dish, such as Josh Collier, MUA.  From what I gathered from watching his videos on YouTube, people used it wrong.  It was a swirl in the delicious pan and then a delicate application (depending on skin tone) and that each pan contained the same amount of product but because it was hand baked it could swirl differently at the top.

I ordered it.  There was some trepidation. I mean, this was some change for my wanna be guru pocket book.  After I ordered, I poured over more reviews.  Did I waste my bucks? Was this worth the initial hype?  Was I ordering based on non-disclosed sponsored reviews? But I couldn't help the excitement, I love Hourglass.  I wanted this blush to add to my very limited collection of two blushes.  Those were Bobbi Brown.  Could they live up to those?

Holy Batman!

It arrived.  In elegant, fingerprint loving, gold packaging.  I wanted to snuggle the box.  I decided that was only acceptable when drunk.  I was stone cold sober.  Darn.  No snuggles.  I delved deeper.

The package was lovely.  It was slightly rose tinged gold.  Highly reflective.  It loved fingerprints more than the box!  But it made me want to know more. I asked permission to go further.  I held my breath, the moment of truth, how was the marble moment?

Pardon the bad lighting, but it was lovely. Three shades of gorgeous.  Pale faces need not fear the clown blush.  The first shade was Luminous Flush.  In the pan it is bright pink.  The second shade is a lovely peach that I never thought a neutral leaning cool toned me could carry, the shade that is exclusive to the palette, Incandescent Electra. And the third shade is a moody dusky rose, perfect for a cool toned person by pan perception, Mood Exposure.  Le sigh.

I have tried all three.  I feared the darkness of Mood, but it warms up on the skin and looks lovely.  I thought the other colors would be too warm.  Boy was I wrong.  I'd say that Luminous and Mood are perfect for this season.  Although, Electra makes for that pop of light that makes you feel as though the cold has not yet seized you.  All three are glorious for pale skin, but you have to be very careful.

They are very pigmented and can go Bozo the You Know What if you don't use careful hand. They apply beautifully and are richly pigmented.  They also just have an amazing glow that will help dissipate the winter dullness many tend to get.  Because of this I feel they can be used on medium skin tones.  I'm not sure how they would apply on very deep skin tones, but may work as ombre blush for those who do have deeper skin.

In the end, I would say this is Broke Woman Wallet Worthy.  Three blushes of this quality at the price are a thumbs up.  I would not say that if you don't own this your life will end end and the sky will fall.  It's very nice, I love it and have no regrets.  But you don't need to skimp feeding your puppy to get this.

* I bought this with my own empty wallet.  I was not sent a sample, scrap, or hint of this product.