Fall Lip Pick!

As the weather cools off, inevitably the lip colors deepen. My very favorite for this season is the brand-new Dr. Hauschka #3 Decoratives lip color. It comes in a beautiful and modern square compact and provides a gorgeous sheer blackberry stain on the lips.

From the Dr. Hauschka website:

Lip Colors 01-04

Four new lip colors in shimmering, semi-transparent tones that can be applied by brush or finger. Mineral pigments are fused with healing waxes and oils to soothe and protect lips.

• Creamy consistency for easy application
• Extracts of anthyllis, carrot and rose hip keep lips moist and nourished
• Rose and Jojoba waxes soften and protect
• Colors from nature highlight your natural tones
• Natural mineral pigment tin oxide provides a silvery shimmer

Ingredients:

Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Beeswax/Cera Flava, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Mica, Silica, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Extract, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil (Jojoba Wax), Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Wax, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Farnesol, Limonene, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Eugenol, Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Tin Oxide, Carmine/CI 75470, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide/CI 77891

Lipbalm--Maiden Voyage

Yesterday I made my first batch of lip balm. I tried out the recipe I had recently created using elements I liked from all my favorites. (and believe me there have been MANY I have tried, loved and hated)

I didn't add color or pour into tubes, I just wanted to get a feel for the texture and try out fragrances.

I was pretty excited about it, it turned out nice and hard (important if it will be in a tube in someones hot pocket or purse all summer) yet creamy. I wasn't 100% sure about the texture, though, I was afraid it was a bit too waxy. (although I like a balm with some staying power, like you could take a shower and still have some on your lips when you get out) I decided to try again today, perhaps keeping the original formulation for use as a cuticle cream.

Today I modified the recipe adding less beeswax, more shea butter and more agave nectar and tinted it a soft rosy pink.

I was afraid to get too excited about it, but I had a tube in my pocket that I applied as the day wore on and I have to say I'm pretty pleased. It is creamy, stays on well and gives just a touch of color.

I love the agave nectar, it does make it slightly sweet without being sticky. I am using a lot of floral essential oils and really, they don't taste great.

Here are the final picks:

1. Serene: vanilla/agave/lavender--clear

2. Gorgeous: rose/agave--touch of red

3. Amazing: geranium/agave--touch of pink

4 . Lovely: orange blossom/agave--touch of nude

Thanks so much to all who offered feedback.

These will all be for sale in my Etsy shop as soon as I build up some inventory. I'll keep you posted on when I'll be open for business. In the meantime, if you are dying to buy one send me an email (jen@skinrhythm.com) and I'll make you a custom tube. I just have to design the labels and I'm all set.

Holistic Kisses,
Jen

Be on the lookout!

Mychelle is well-known for their cutting edge dermaceutical line of skincare but now they are branching out with a line of cream-based mineral makeup. They will have a cream foundation, concealer, blush, eyeshadow and peptide-based lip colors and will be out in stores sometime next month.
They were debuted at a recent trade show in Anaheim, to enthusiastic response.
"This will revolutionize mineral makeup" said one show attendee.
I can't wait to try them, as a mineral makeup junkie I have tried every product I could get my hands on. I especially love cream products for cheeks and the careful formulations are safe even for oilier skin conditions.
The Mychelle website store is temporarily closed while they launch new packaging and updated formulations which include more organic ingredients.
I can't wait to see the new and improved Mychelle, complete with cosmetics!

This is What a Feminist Looks Like...

I have been told before that what I do for a living is shallow, superficial and un-feminist. I’ve always disagreed. There is nothing wrong with wanting to face the world looking your very best, healthy and beautiful.

As a makeup artist and esthetician it is my job to help women to become the best version of themselves and it is an honor to be trusted to touch someone’s face.

Everyone I’ve ever met has a love-hate relationship with their appearance and despite all the staring into the mirror; they often don’t see their own best features. It is great to tell someone they have lovely eyelashes or great bone structure or beautiful lips and see the look of surprise on their face.

“Me? They say? No…” But it’s true. They just can’t see past their flaws and see the good things that everyone else can see.

I am a Peacekeeper Cause-metics demonstrator which means that I get the chance to not only educate people on all of the wonderful causes PK supports but also help them choose the right color.

I find that the products tend to look slightly different in the tubes than they do on the lips so whenever possible I apply the colors for them. (After sanitizing the products and using a fresh disposable applicator)

Everyone is always amazed when they learn that 100% of after-tax profits are donated to human-rights issues. Like me, they thought they would get around to donating money to causes they believed in at some point…when they had more money. And also like me, they spend money several times a year to purchase new cosmetics.

With Peacekeeper, you can do both. Indulge your girly side and your activist side and know that they are both important and worthwhile.

Peacekeeper Truth Serum Blog

I was recently featured as "Blog of the Week" on the Peacekeeper Cause-metics website, go check it out!!
Speaking of Peacekeeper, I've been meaning to write a blog about one of their lip paints, Paint Me Compassionate. It is a perfect red that looks great alone or under gloss. It has quickly become one of my favorite colors and I'm thrilled to add it to my cosmetics rotation. Needless to say, I was surprised when I learned that this very color had been on a list of lipsticks containing lead.
Here is Peacekeeper's founder, Jody Weiss's response to that claim, which of course, is untrue.

what is in peacekeeper’s lipstick?

§ beeswax is produced from the hives of honey bees.

§ carnauba wax is derived from the leaves of a brazilian plant called the carnauba palm.

§ candelilla wax is derived from the leaves of the candelilla shrub which grows in the southern united states and mexico.

§ shea butter is extracted from the fruit of the shea tree. shea butter has strong moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties.

§ castor oil is an evergreen shrub that has been used medicinally for about 4,000 years. castor oil contains lectins which are carbohydrate binding proteins.

§ jojoba oil is derived from the jojoba plant. it is a lipid with high levels in fatty acids and is considered a oleochemical or a chemical derived from biological oils and fats.

§ grapeseed oil is a vegetable oil pressed from the seeds of vitis vinifera grapes. grapeseed oil possesses regenerative ingredients for the skin such as high levels of linoleic acid, anti-oxidants, vitamin c, vitamin e, beta-carotene, omega 3-6-9 and other skin revitalizing ingredients.

§ vitamin e is a fat-soluable antioxidant called tocopherol. antioxidants like vitamin e play a big role in protection against free radicals which contribute to chronic illnesses.

§ mica is a silicate mineral from the earth whose name comes from the latin word micare, which means "shine".

§ carmine is a pigment derived from carminic acid from the scales of certain insects such as the cochineal. carmine is a red color alternative to synthetic fd&c coloring.

§ titanium dioxide is the natural occurring oxide of titanium, a substance mined from the earth. titanium dioxide can be found in toothpastes and other food substances as well.

§ iron oxides consist of sixteen known compounds of either oxides or hydroxides and oxidehydroxides. iron oxide yields pigments which are used in cosmetics. they are considered non-toxic.

§ ultramarines also are found in the earth and are considered to be non-toxic.

I Am a Peacekeeper!

I first encountered Peacekeeper Cause-metics at Whole Foods Market here in Austin, Texas.
I purchased a lipstick for my mother-in-law and instantly regretted not keeping it for myself!
I was aware of all the great causes Peacekeeper supported but was not prepared for how incredible the products are.
They are as good if not better than the most professional and luxurious cosmetics I have worked with the past ten years.
There is literally a color for everyone in their line and the lipsticks are creamy and long-lasting. They don't always look the same on the lips as they do in the tube, though so they definitely need to be tried on to find the best match.
They also have glosses, nail polish and cuticle oil and they are all wonderful.

My favorites:

Paint me Wise lip paint: This is a beautiful creamy berry that has become my daily staple.

Paint me Empowered lip paint: Empowered looks scary and dark in the tube but it is not much darker than Wise and stays on forever. It creates a great blackberry stain when applied with the fingers and gently blotted.

Unifem gloss: Again, this color looks way different on than in the tube. It is a sheer burgundy and looks great on everyone. I love to put on either Wise or Empowered in the morning then touch up during the day with Unifem. It refreshes the color and adds a soft, not sticky shine.

Luminous nail polish: I can't for the life of me paint my own fingernails without it looking like a toddler applied the color so this is a lifesaver. It's a dewey silvery-white that is subtle enough for daily wear without being boring. It also dries really quickly.

*I love this line so much that I jumped at the chance to work for them. I love being able to talk to women about the products and have them get excited to help support such worthwhile causes. When do you ever basically get a free product for donating to a cause that you believe in?