Mascara Advertisements - how do you feel about them?

Keeping up with my new years resolution of trying to blog more, here is a topic I've been hoping to write about! I loooove x 100  Emily DiDonato's face - she is in this commercial and other Maybelline related ads, and she is also the face of Armani's Acqua Di Gioia fragrance.  At first when I saw that ad, I thought it was Raina (runner-up from America's next top model whom I'm dying to work with!) They have some similarities - but I loooooooooooove their faces.  That innocent but seductive, perfect face!   

To get back on topic...I forgot and don't know who started this trend of advertising mascara by showing false lashes in the commercial and claiming it to be the results of the mascara...no matter what the model and the artist were told to say behind the scenes in this video ...(which I really enjoyed watching because I would love to work on a beauty campaign! Amazing model, amazing makeup artist!)  But... Really?!  "It looks like falsies but it's just mascara" but not only does it look like falsies, you can tell they are falsies...! How do you feel about mascara ads using falsies? I for one - really hope that one company would stop this trend and actually ...just use mascara. Hire a model with amazing long lashes!!!! They exist!!! They don't even need mascara so imagine what mascara can do to their lashes!!!  

Nowadays it's so hard for me to decide which ones to purchase because all of them cease to convince me anymore...do you remember Sarah Michelle Gellar's Maybelline ad almost 10 years ago? Well since this was the days BEFORE HD TV, there's no way for me to go back in time and scrutinize the ad like I can with all of the current ones (which runs nicely on my 1080p screens!) 

It looks like the close-up might have had some falsies in there, but again hard to tell - But the ad is much more believable to me!  Maybelline is just an example...you open up a magazine, and you see a mascara ad and BAM it's false lashes. 

Then along comes America's Next Top Model in 2003 with the cover girl ads and how it is incorporated into the show - it's genius how they use the products and show it behind the scenes!  The thing about the Maybelline behind the scenes...if you pay close attention to the behind the scenes video at 0:51 seconds - 1:24min or try pausing the screen at 1min21 seconds.  When she is applying the lipstick at 0:51 - what she is holding in her hand is a Japonesque empty lip palette (that I happen to own too! :D that is exactly what I do with my lipsticks..saves space and oh so light weight!) with lipsticks depotted inside and there is no evidence that the lipsticks are purely Maybelline products - but of course this ad is mascara but...you would ASSUME they only use Maybelline products, provided by the company right? Pause again at 1:24 and the opened palettes - again, other than the mascara she is holding on her hand/advertising, I see a whole bunch of other products that are non-Maybelline.   My point here is not to pick on an amazing/accomplished makeup artist, but to point out that what you see advertised is not always what's used in the advertisements...it might be used sometimes in some companies...but it's a known fact that what you see in the ad is not what's being advertised... 

Cosmetic companies spend Top Dollar to hire the Top Team to produce those ads to sell products to you; they can do it with a very sizable marketing budget and a team of marketing/advertising experts and hire the best models, wardrobe, makeup/hair & production team.  High-end brands, or Drugstore brands - it doesn't make a difference!  I'm all about promoting a good product and discovering gems in drugstore brands - especially mascara.  It's a hard fact to accept - but drugstore vs. high-end mascara really makes very little difference.  I'm leaning towards focusing on finding a few Great drugstore brands in my kit and keeping that ONLY since I gotta toss it every month and after experimenting, I've found comparable results in my experience.  Mark-ups in cosmetics are 100% - so when you are purchasing a $30 mascara, the real price of it is $15 - and out of that $15, I don't know the exact breakdown, but I'm GUESSING (this is my professional speculation) that perhaps 20-30% goes towards producing the product, another 20-30% goes into packaging and the rest is going to advertising! So again thinking of that $30 dollar mascara, $15 is the company's profit but a bulk of that is money spent on packaging (including the design, and the unique 'brush' of the mascara) and advertising...so yes, you are paying for $1-3 dollars in just the material of the mascara itself (the stuff/goo inside you are putting on your eyes) even with a $30 dollar mascara.  

As you might already know, I'm a strong advocate for being a responsible consumer.  Does the company use recyclable materials (post-consumer recycled packaging? if so, what's the percentage?)  Does the company do animal testing?  Is it certified organic/ are the ingredients obtained ETHICALLY and are the ingredients SUSTAINABLE?  Living in a Buy-Buy-Buy Capitalist society, we are constantly bombarded with messages to buy and buy - but the question remains: "Is this mascara worth my money???" So...I guess to conclude this post, I want to take the opportunity to thank the beauty bloggers and youtube gurus who took their time and money to review the products for us!  Thanks to their reviews, you don't have to rely on these advertisements!  I also really think that bloggers who have blog sales are doing the right thing!!! If you're not going to use it, sell it or give it away if it's sanitary (nono you cannot re-sell mascara..and lipgloss/lipstick is kind of on the iffy line for sanitation reasons - the buyer has to know how to sanitize the lipstick before using) and as long as the products are well-within the expiration date and not expired.   I do appreciate reading the reviews, but it's become a real turn-off for me if I see someone buy EVERYTHING out there just to try it out...all the packaging...all that plastic...!!  That's why I love P-chan's blog!  Instead of sharing 'hauls', she is sharing the products she used up and loves!  She gets 5 stars in my books! Seriously...!  <3 Don't waste, and think about your carbon foot print and recycle! <3

Good-Buys and Hell-Nos [September 2010]

Good-Buy#1: Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Skin Protectant $20/Jar (the package is slightly different)

This is going to be a confusing review since I consider this a good buy, but then give it a 3 star rating!? The reason being, what this is is basically an upgraded version of your vaseline.  The main ingredient being Petrolatum, a refined form of the black crude oil you see in photos of oil spills...what it essentially does is act as an occlusive agent, blocking the moisture and preventing it from evaporating on your skin. In cold weathers, petrolatum is very useful in protecting our skin. It contains some other ingredients with Vitamin E (antioxidant).  Why I consider it a good buy is (big tip reveal!!) dip a disposable spoolie into the jar to scoop some out, and ask the model/client to brush their lips like they are brushing their teeth, and utilize the emollient properties to heal and exfoliate their lips.  Previously I've tried using a plastic covering and have the ingredients smooth it out, but chapped lips really just needs some moisture and exfoliation.  For really dry skin you can use it in other parts of the body in a thin layer - I often forget, but in beauty shots, cracked dry hands are very unattractive and a horror to photo shop!  You can also apply a little bit on the model/client's teeth to prevent lipstick from transferring to the teeth (especially those sexy red lips...!)  It's a great item to have in your kit - I use a spatula to scoop some out into a disposable jar so I don't have to carry the jar around - but most models responded very positively to the grassy smell of this gel.  A 3/5 rating is the best any of those chapsticks/lip moisturizers are ever going to get from me out of the ones I've tried...it's basically the same old ingredient - a waxy/oily substance blocking the moisture.  Drinking enough water everyday and keeping your body hydrated and filled with nutrients is the only cure to dry and chapped lips!!!!  

Rating:

Hell-No #1: St. Ives Apricot Scrub for Oily and Acne-Prone Skin $4.29

OK...having Scrub and Acne-Prone skin TOGETHER in a product should be a glaring sign that this is a product that you shouldn't be using!  I rarely review a product without buying it and trying it at home, but I did try it on my hand before and ...well since I'm currently studying esthiology, and seeing clients on the clinical floor, I must say that I feel obligated to write this review.  First of all, the particles are too big and more over uneven edged to be used on your face (it's a perfect scrub for your body!!!!) While you might not feel like it's rough, the motion of scrubbing it on your face can not only create micro-tears that you cannot see, deplete our acid mantle (protective layer of our skin) which means escorting free radicals and environmental dirt and germs right into your skin. That's just if you are fortunate enough to not have open breakouts (infected bulbs - pustules and papules - signs of acne)! If you do have open and active breakouts, with this rough scrub you can open the bacterial sacs and help spread it around your face - and during exfoliation, your pores are open! Not only are you creating a more favorable environment (by removing the acid mantle), you are moving the bacteria from one side of your face to the other. While it contains salicylic acid (winter green extract), there are other salicylic acid face washes out there that help you chemically exfoliate and take care of the dead skin cells to prevent them from clogging your pores and trapping bacteria without hurting your skin.  If you currently own this product, not to worry! It's great for exfoliating the rest of your body (arms, legs, shoulders, knees, chest, back, etc etc!) - the face is just a more delicate area!  Rating:

[Sorry it's been 5 months since my last product review!  :(  But hey...! I've brainstormed all these great blog post ideas!!!  Next post will be more photos of Leisha~! It turns out Rummy edited a few more!  I hope everyone is having a great labor day weekend!!!]

IMATS Pasadena 2010 Kit Investment [Part I]

This was my first IMATS or any sort of makeup trade show so I was very excited to visit the booths and test out the products in person! Unfortunately because it was very busy at the Yaby Cosmetics booth, I didn't have as much time as I would like to just to browse around and I was more ON A MISSION type of browsing!  I know this is silly, but I felt special wearing my Exhibitor's Pass! hehehe~! But! Thank goodness I'm not a make up junkie or else I'd be so broke buying everything that's enticing! :) Onwards with my "investment" pieces....!

Before attending the show, I knew I wanted to check out the Hakuhodo brushes - the high quality Japanese hand-made brushes!  I thought about investing in one or two...but when I finally got a chance to feel it, it was hard to decide WHICH ones to buy. These are definitely long lasting INVESTMENT pieces in my career as an artist - the nice Japanese man explained to me the glue is applied all the way along the ferrule (seen in the darker color portion of the brush below) and so if you wanted to dry your brushes upright, you CAN because the glue won't breakdown easily.  I held up the goat and squirrel blush brush (not this one) side by side and at first I could not feel the subtle difference in softness~ I asked the nice Japanese man, and his reaction was: "Ehhhh? Please feel again!" and then I noticed it! From what I noticed, the series are separated by the handle type and length as well as the grade of the hair.

 Blue squirrel fur is slightly softer, but I decided to go with the goat and synthetic blend of the Kokutan Finishing Brush (shown on the left).   I was tempted to get the blue squirrel Kokutan Fan Brush, but I prefer a longer handle, and I just really like the shape of the brush. It's great for powder, highlight and contouring as well!  I've been testing it out since my return and using it on my clients, and I have to say I love this brush and will treasure it. The softness makes it great for blending~ and I'm a fond of the natural look to begin with so...it suits me very well!

After deciding on the Finishing Brush, I was like: "Shoot I've already reached my budget for brushes...but I really ....need..." ....So I am perfectly fine with my current pencil brushes - except when I need to get to the outer V and closer to the eye area in a tight smokey eye look, I notice the bristles of my MAC pencil brush might irritate my clients - which led me to purchase the Kokutan Eye Shadow Brush T.  The softness of the brush is the most gentle and comforting  pencil or fine-point applicator for the eye-area.  The trade-off is lighter application and it's harder to pickup the pigment.  I mean, this is the trade-off for softer brushes in general - but the rubbing of the coarser brushes can create microscopic tears and can also scratch and irritate the skin. This is best for clients with very sensitive skin. I do take great care in applying products to the eye area, but a great tool can make it easier and more comfortable for my clients.

Lastly, I actually bought a Kokutan Pointed Powder Brush that has a smaller brush area and of course the wooden handle. The photo on the left is not the one I bought (For some reason I cannot find it on the website! Perhaps it's a newer product...?) and from the S series...So my brush is shorter (sorry I didn't take a photo of this...maybe next time! It's drying now after its weekly deep cleansing!!! ^^) with the wooden handle but the surface area it covers is smaller. I was drawn to the shape of the brush immediately and noticed how much EASIER it would be for me to use it to highlight.  Usually I use a separate brush for cheek/forehead/chin and another for nose/cupid's bow.  But now, I can just stick to ONE. 

It was hard for me to reach for my wallet to buy all 3 brushes~ ! I was definitely a bit sweaty from stress! (lol...~ and I received sympathetic glances and also comforting words from the nice Japanese ladies processing my purchase! thank you, it was comforting!) One of the ladies told me: "It's OK! Work hard and come back next year for a few more!" And I was like: "I don't think I can afford to come back next year! *laughs nervously*" 

While I was looking at the brushes, there were 2 girls looking and feeling all the brushes and saying: "omg this is sooo expensive!! I can't believe it!" And I said: "Well...this is really top of the line stuff!!" as the nice Japanese man nods fervently in agreement! These were 3 brushes I had NO regrets buying. I also bought 3 little brushes and a Kabuki brush and a $10 dollar brush roll (a steal!!!) from Royal brushes but I haven't used them much but I'm also very happy with those purchases! :) All in all, I'm happy I refrained from impulse buys in the 'tools' department, given how little time I had to shop (a little over an hour over the 2 day period~!) so I'm very happy! Until next time~~~ Have a great week!

Good-Buys and Hell-Nos! [April 2010]

I decided to mix it up and do some product reviews as well and came up with a fun name for it "Good-Buys and Hell-Nos!" OK OK I realize that calling a bad investment "Hell-No" is kind of mean and I apologize if you find it offensive; I just thought it's a funny play on good bye & hello!  But seriously - only products I'd never buy again or REGRET buying, and cannot/feel bad about returning will go into that list!  I also can't guarantee I'll write one of these each month, but we'll see! :)

I bought all of the products with my own money (Unfortunately lol...) mostly for use for my business.  Please read this while keeping in mind that this is just my personal opinion but I hope you might find the review helpful for your next purchase!  I think for now I'm going to stick to 3 in each category!

Hell-No #1: Laura Mercier Eye Basics (Peach) $24 

First up on the Hell-No list....while I admit that when I bought it (rashly, I might add...) I was looking for a concealer specifically for the eye area and to use it as a color adjuster/color corrector, but honestly, I couldn't have used it as a eyelid primer (what the product is actually for) either because the the crease-resistant formula is dries up too quickly, and cakes up immediately on mature-r skin.  Especially the delicate eye area - we naturally have LINES there (That are not necessarily wrinkles) and this product just accentuates those lines and makes you look like you have wrinkles.  Scary. Good thing I returned it or else I would have been a bit depressed over wasting money on something I would never use...! 1/5 stars..worst possible score! Rating: 

Good-Buy#1: Benefit Cosmetics Erase Paste (Fair, Medium, Deep) $26/color

I wish it came in a tube and not a jar, but that's just me whining a bit - I don't actually know what it would be like in a tube with such a creamy product - just a sort of "in the ideal world" kind of thought!  I've been using this on everyone and - while it doesn't perform as well as a liquid under eye concealer (*sigh to Kanebo Lunasol...it's just hard to get here..) in terms of the danger of sinking into the lines, you just have to be extra careful about going against the grain and have your client not move until the concealing is done+powder is set. Smooth consistent texture - what's not to like? It was my first time ordering with my pro/industry discount and it sucks because you can only use either the industry discount, or free shipping for over $50. Other cosmetic companies (ahem ahem smashbox) ships for FREE or if you reach a certain amount, you get free shipping. GrrRrr! My other complaint is the "deep" doesn't feel/appear deep enough! I'd still have to mix it up with darker concealer for deeper skin tones. I own all 3 shades, too! I wish it would have maybe 5 peachy colors, so I can just get 1, 3, 5 and mix...but that's a perfect world I guess! For that, I give it 4/5 ! 

Rating: 

Hell-No #2: MAC Cosmetics Matte $18 

I was kind of forced to purchase this during the MAC PRO master class (Another sigh for me..) as the other products I wanted was out of stock!  But it's my own fault for accidentally throwing the package away...But anyways, this is basically a primer you can use before or after foundation, but I tried it both ways and find it to be less functional than say, Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, considering oily/combination skin.  It would definitely help hold the makeup for normal skin, and smooth out pores, but considering I could have spent my money elsewhere, I give it a 2/5, because at least I can use it on normal skin! Rating: 

Good-Buy#2: Make up For Ever Eye Seal $26
I didn't see a need to purchase this product mainly because I have a lot of eyeliners already, liquid metallics liners that I just squeeze out and dip a brush into, but saw how neat it was to kind of make your own waterproof liner with pigments or eyeshadows!  Granted you don't need a lot of the product, but such a tiny bottle!! I often get it confused with one of my sample products...that's how tiny it is! I was tempted to take off 1 star for my complaint but...in terms of its function and how useful it could/would be for my kit - definitely a great buy! Rating: 

Hell-No #3: Revlon ColorStay Liner For Lips (Natural 685) $7.99

I was kind of possessed when I saw the BUY 1 Get 50% off sign at Walgreens.  Well not just the sale, I was also on a mission for the perfect nude liner - I bought 2 of Make up Forever Aqua Lip waterproof liner and they were not the right colors, but still very useful  and very waterproof.  The other shade I bought (The Buy 1 Get 50% off) was OK, but this shade was just not very pigmented at all.  Maybe I got a bad one but I expect color to come out...!! but nope...nothing.. might as well go out with your NUDE/NATURAL lip.  Not to knock out the whole series of lipliners though, I would just not buy this particular shade. Rating:

Good-Buy#3: Givenchy Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick (01 Only Beige & 02 Beige Champagne) $28

My other possessed moment...lol...I think at $28 a piece for a lipstick is ridiculous - I thought it was $21 until I went over to pay lol....And I barely got any discount...15% at Sephora, plus California sales tax is like - NO discount. But how shall I put this...these are definitely investments...I do dislike the packaging and I feel like I'm overpaying for unnecessary packaging - I have a lip palette ready that I haven't put all my lipsticks in there...yet! ;) [I'm working on that...the whole condensing kit thing...*sigh*] I am setting these aside mainly for my bridal clients. These are great colors for bridal, and definitely a close cousin to my

Dior lip palette...one that I bought at the airport as a traveler's set! Those colors are just the perfect bridal palette...but alas when I tried to repurchase it, I bought a LIP GLOSS palette! (Definitely a HELL-NO  product...the Dior lip gloss palette...I had spent...so much money thinking I would get 5 great bridal colors, but I was wrong! Be careful with those duty free traveler sets!) Anyhow, I digress - while the color doesn't last as long as a matte lipstick, dry cracked lips (that matte lipstick emphasizes) is unattractive to anyone, especially the camera, and also a pain to retouch for the photographer.  Considering the creamy/moisturizing texture, the wear is OK. Even though I dislike the price and the packaging, (grrr please put them in cheap plastic recyclable cases next time lol) great buy! Rating: 


OK! That's the end of my first issue of "Good-Buys and Hell-Nos!" :) I hope you enjoyed the read and found it helpful~ ;) Until next time! 

Acne-prone skin [Part I: Skincare]

I've expressed before that once my website is up, my Skyla Arts blog will also include posts/articles about skincare products and makeup product reviews (and my personal blog will have more entries about my boring life!) I have been occasionally commenting on bride-oriented beauty forums recently and one of the most frequently recurring threads have been focused on products that help heal acne (many questions about ProActive) and whether or not bare minerals/bare escentuals is a good choice for wedding makeup - oftentimes the two themes occur together!  I divided this topic into two parts: Part I will focus on skincare products and Part II will discuss makeup products (and more bare minerals!) While I am not a dermatologist, I've been "battling" acne skin for 11 years or so and have tried an array of products. None of the products I mention are sponsored or provided; I have no commercial relationships with these companies! As a makeup artist, I am also concerned with this because it is my responsibility to select the best product for each skin type. Even if you don't have adult acne regularly, perhaps stressful situations (like Wedding Planning!)  or a women's menstrual cycle can also cause breakouts!  If you are interested in reading short reviews on the products that I have tried, some tips to take care of your skin, and also what I think about mineral makeup or ProActive for acne-prone skin, please click to continue reading!