Bronzer: Are you doing it right?

No matter what season we find ourselves in, bronzer is a must. It balances the ‘flat’ look a perfectly balanced skin tone can create, after applying foundation, by adding a touch of sun kissed depth in all the right places. Read on to learn where those ‘right places’ are and how they differ from contour placement.

Do you know the difference between a contour and a bronzer? Don’t worry if you answered no here. You are not alone! Contours add the appearance of a shadow for the purpose of defining; changing the shape of your face strictly through the use of makeup! Highlighting goes with it like gold and diamonds. Otherwise, you’ve got dark streaks here and there. But, we can go over that more in another post. Let us know if you would be interested in learning more about this by email or chat.

Bronzer is applied to add warmth and depth, but should not be applied randomly or all over. If you want an all over glow, opt for a deeper shade of foundation instead. We’re going to go over two separate placements here.

The first will be for those that want a glow while keeping a ‘wide open’ look to the eyes, nose and mouth areas. Do you have lighter skin tones and want to avoid the ‘orange’ look? Opt for our new pressed bronzer in Figi. Looking for a deeper, red/gold glow? Choose Caribbean loose powder bronzer. Dip or swipe your Chisel & Blend brush in the bronzer. If using loose, remember to tap off excess powder. Apply around the perimeter of the face in the shape of a ‘3’. Here is what it looks like.

Too dark? Before you freak out and grab the remover pads, try this. The Chisel & Blend is designed to handle this makeup crisis. Keep swiping over the area, blending a bit up and down, if desired, and the harshness will dissipate. Remember, if you blend up or down, it will carry the color to those areas, albeit in a lighter shade. But bronzer is not meant to stray all the way up or down the face so use very light, short strokes if you need to get rid of a harsh line.

For those that want a ‘fresh from the beach’ look, Placement should be where the sun naturally darkens the face. That being said, let’s have another look at our lovely assistant below for a placement diagram:

A bronzer’s BFF is Blush. The two come together to form a youthful, radiant glow. This is a good occasion to consider a little dewy shimmer. Try Berry Blast Baked blush or Pink Crush Baked eye shadow to put the ‘youthful’ in your glow. Berry Blast offers a pigment rich pink/violet shimmery finish without a ‘glittery’ look. Light skin? A little goes a long way here, so use a light hand and the Petite Face Brush to apply. Keep a clean Chisel & Blend handy, to tone it down if necessary. Medium or better? This blush is perfect for you! Pink Crush adds the perfect, rosy touch to light cheek bones for a natural looking blush/highlighter combo.

Curious about what Daryn, our lovely assistant is wearing? Here’s the rundown:

FACE: New Luminous Creme Foundation in Tropical Coconut* + Nude Pressed Powder
EYES: Pink Parfait, White Diamond and Brazilian Brown w/ Mega Lash mascara
CHEEKS: Tropical Sunset
LIPS: Berry Bliss lipstick
TOOLS: Chisel & Blend brush shown

*Discontinued. Try Flawless Finish cream foundation in Buttercream instead.

Not Sure if You’re Ready to Strike Up a New Relationship with Another Lipstick Brand? See What Others Are Saying!

As Seen on The Natural Beauty Blog

In MAKEUP

Rejuva Minerals Pur’ Lips Lipstick Review

STAFF WRITER JULY 10, 2018 LEAVE A COMMENT

Like the many other products and brands we often discuss here at The Natural Beauty Blog, Rejuva Minerals is one of our all time favorite brands. Rejuva Minerals and some of the cleanest and healthiest makeup on the market and their products are not something you will feel nervous to use on a daily basis.

This Lipstick Was Featured on Our 5 Best Natural and Organic Lipsticks Article.

Rejuva is an EWG Verified brand with many of their products, meaning items like the loose foundation and their lipstick have passed The Environmental Working Group’s strict criteria for safe makeup and personal care products. What also makes this brand so special is they have a page on their website that fully discloses every single ingredient they use in their products.

Rejuva Minerals

Many of their products also sport the Made Safe seal as well. This means this third party company to ensure they never contain any behavioral toxins, endocrine disruptors, fire retardants, heavy metals, neurotoxins, or any kind of pesticides has screened all of the ingredients they use in their products.

And lastly, the very popular app called Think Dirty, has rated Rejuva minerals as one of the top best organic and natural makeup companies in the industry today. Think Dirty is similar to the EWG Skin Deep database and has ranked popular products and brands according to their level of safety.

The only drawback we have with Rejuva Minerals is that they do not have a return policy. If you purchase from their website, you are not able to return your product if you do not like it or if they color of lipstick, foundation, or eyeliner is not what you wanted or were expecting. This may present a drawback for some people and may be the biggest issue with finding your perfect foundation match. However, they do offer comprehensive matching services on their website and offer sample sizes for a lower price so you can try out colors before your commit to paying for a whole container or bottle. Overall, this is a relatively minor drawback for a company that produces such clean and high-quality natural makeup!

In this review, we will take a further look at their Pur’ Lip Lipstick. It comes in four pretty pink shades that can fit just about any taste and skin tone.

Review

Pur’ Lips Lipstick is a super clean and healthy lipstick you can use on a daily basis and never have to worry about. This lipstick is actually recommended by Dr. Mercola, who is notorious for his incredibly strict with his natural living recommendations.

This lipstick is 61.65% organic, which is very high for a lipstick. You will never find any parabens, soy, GMO ingredients, or gluten in their products as well, including this lipstick as well. Pur’ Lip is vegan and colored with pure and natural minerals and fruit instead of toxic FD&C dyes and carmine.

Rejuva Minerals Pur’ Lips Lipstick 1

Of course, all of their four colors are EWG Verified and rated as “clean” in the Think Dirty app. Their tubes are BPA and phthalate-free and the boxes their products are shipped in are 50% recycled. Not only do you get clean beauty and skin care products, but you also get sustainable and healthy packaging as well. It is a win-win situation.

As an example of their ingredient list for their lipsticks, we have included a lost directly from their website to show just how natural these lipstick really are:

“Peach Bellini (satin finish): *Sunflower, *Jojoba, Pomegranate, *Coconut, Mica, *Carnauba, Cranberry Fruit Powder, Candelilla, Silica, Vitamin E (Sunflower), *Shea Butter, *Vanilla, Iron Oxide. *Certified Organic”

As you can see, there is nothing weird or scary in that list! Only pure, wholesome, and healthy ingredients are used. The sunflower, jojoba, coconut oils, and shea butter will keep your lips hydrated and moist when you wear the lipstick. They will never get cracked or dry, which is a notorious problem with lipsticks. To read an actual review of this lipstick from a natural beauty blogger, check out this awesome post for even more insight into the benefits of this lipstick.

Overall, Rejuva Minerals as a whole is a wonderful natural brand that has been highly regarded in the natural beauty industry for a reason. From their many certifications for healthy products and rave reviews by customers, you truly cannot go wrong with their Pur’ Lip Lipstick in any of the four colors available!

If heavy lipsticks are not for you, check out our post on how to make your very own naturally tinted lip balm for some soft and subtle color.

Summary

Reviewer

The Natural Beauty Blog

Review Date

2018-07-10

Reviewed Item

Rejuva Minerals Pur’ Lips Lipstick

Author Rating

Facial Oils: Who Benefits Most and Why

You may have heard the whispers in the beauty world and beyond about the benefits of facial oils but did you know some facial oils, such as EWG VERIFIED™ organic Luscious Berries Multi-Purpose oil, can be used as an oil based facial cleanser? Read on to find out more!

Say ‘Hello’ to a Radiant Glow and ‘Bye Bye’ to Greasy Face

Because Jojoba is actually a wax, and not an oil, it does not feel greasy nor sit heavy on the face. Over time, Luscious Berries will help soften lines. Love your firming cream too much to break up with it? No worries! Apply the cream or maybe Ultra Hydration Moisturizing lotion first. Save the Multi-Purpose oil for last as it will ‘seal’ in the emollients and moisturizers found in Ultra Hydration, helping to promote a youthful glow.

But I Have Acne.

Our cosmetics and skin care are formulated specifically for this purpose and are free of commonly known irritants.

Luscious Berries Multi-purpose oil contains 100% certified organic ingredients and is a well-balanced, light oil formulated for use on the face, hair and cuticles. It does not make the list of oils expected to clog pores and contribute to the formation of acne and blackheads. To use on hair I recommend applying it to the dry ends at least 15 minutes or more before you shampoo. This will help protect those ends from the harshness of detergents. For those with baby fine hair this is an especially effective pre-treatment.

Can It Pump My Gas?

Well, you got me there. But it does make an excellent carrier oil for essential oils, to prep the face for mineral cosmetics and to clean the face in place of soaps. Yep, it is known as Oil Cleansing. If you haven’t tried a muslin face cloth, this would be a great time to do so or just use your go-to. Since there are no detergents, a quick swipe with a Cranberry Fruit makeup remover pad, followed by a cool rinse,

Beauty, Facial, hair, skin, carrier, massage, cleanser, Oil, EWG Verified, Safe, Natural, Organic, Mineral oil free, titanium dioxide free — Uses: Facial cleanser, skin moisturizer, massage oil, EO carrier oil, cuticle moisturizer and hair treatment.

would be great afterwards.

To begin, wet the cloth with warm water and dampen the face. Don’t forget the neck and décolleté. If you already have makeup on, wipe it off with the wet cloth. It does not have to be perfectly clear of all makeup. You’ll see why in a moment. Pump out enough Multi-Purpose oil to make about a quarter sized spot, or pump about the same amount in the palm of your hand and dip. Using small circular motions, apply the oil all over, even the eye area.

Typically, it only takes one application to clear away our naturally derived and organic mineral makeup. To test this, I used one of the new Cranberry Fruit makeup remover pads afterwards. It worked! The pad looked just as it did fresh out of the jar!

So, if you’re not getting the results you expected from your current skin care regime, try adding Luscious Berries Multi-Purpose Oil.

Multiple Functions For Our Multi Task Powder

Organic ingredients- we know how important your skin is. There is no reason to use products that are harsh and potentially reactive to sensitive or delicate skin.

Beauty care can get a bit overwhelming when there’s a different product for all the many functions we seek. Lipstick isn’t used for anything else but our pout but when there’s an exceptional, impressive product that can be utilized in a multitude of ways, it’s time to take notice. This is certainly the case with our Multi-Task powder. Not only can it be used to set makeup but it functions as an excellent primer and base as well as a tremendous hair aid. A white powder with a colorless finish that meshes well with any complexion, the sheerness of the application fits a variety of skin tones. It has been used by some of the top Celebrity makeup artists and leading ladies. With a semi-matte finish, it helps to control the effects of excessive oil production. Here are some key ways this stellar product is a complete home run!

Organic ingredients- we know how important your skin is. There is no reason to use products that are harsh and potentially reactive to sensitive or delicate skin. This product was formulated with that in mind as it’s blended with rich and nutrient dense cocoa beans, as well as organic grape, raspberry, and blueberry. Not only does the fruit infusion give it a pleasant, luxurious scent but it also provides it with powerful antioxidants that help feed and nourish the skin. Specific studies have shown that antioxidants can help improve the overall health of the skin by combating free radicals that may often contribute to premature signs of aging. The product is also EWG verified which means it has passed specific criteria by the Environmental Working Group.

Keeps you matte- there is nothing worse than looking like a total oil slick a couple of hours after applying fresh makeup. If you’re unlucky, you may start to notice a bit of oil production in just one hour after you set your makeup. This doesn’t only feel like a total waste of time but it’s a complete inconvenience. With Multi-Task powder, you’ll experience a level of shine control that rivals many other products on the market. It even helps to mitigate the appearance of pores which will provide you with a smooth, flawless skin finish.

Photo ready finish- so many powders are not appropriate for bright lights and flash and cause quite an embarrassing moment when a picture is taken. Having remnants and particles of white power around the nose and cheeks is what we call a major makeup meltdown. Multi-Task powder will never have you in this situation as it was crafted to provide a natural photo ready finish. As a primer, it helps makeup to more fully and completely adhere to skin while also blending seamlessly into the crevices of the face.

Dry shampoo- there aren’t many makeup products on the market that can also double as a hair product. In fact, that very concept is completely foreign to so many. But with the Multi-Task powder, that unheard of option is most definitely a reality. For those days where you simply don’t have the time to wash your hair, try applying a bit of the powder to your roots. The unique formula will help to absorb and control oil while also providing a natural, easy boost of volume and life to your hair. No need to fret over oily and limp hair any longer. This powder will have your hair looking incredible.

Vegan- it’s important to be mindful of where your money goes and what ties the products have to important causes. For those who have a mostly plant-based diet, for whatever reason, you can rest assured that this product is completely free of any animal by-products or testing. We take our commitment to health and fairness very seriously and won’t compromise it in the production of our products. Supporting a company and organization that feels strongly about the fair and humane treatment of animals will make you feel good about shopping with us.

Universal shade- The Multi Task powder was formulated with all different skin types and shades in mind. A universal shade that works to blend into many different tones is a product characteristic to be proud of.

If you’re looking for a beauty product with multiple functions; one that keeps you matte, sets your makeup and can be doubled as a hair refresher: try our Multi Task Powder. It’s a cut above the rest and well worth the try to enjoy a flawless finish and camera ready skin. Purchase it today, and you won’t be disappointed.

What Sesame Street Can Teach Us About Our Brushes

Ladies, let’s be honest. How many of us undertake a home project, such as hanging a picture, and find we don’t have the right tools for the job for one reason or another? And the best solution sometimes is to grab that high heel just a few feet away and get the job done. Or maybe a screw is loose on the coffee table and you can’t find the flat head screwdriver anywhere. A butter knife just might do the trick. In these situations the substitute tool naturally does not work as well as the one specifically designed for the job. Enter the world of makeup brushes.

It’s Angled, So Why Does My Eyeliner Look like an 80’s Music Video?!

First, all angled brushes are not created equally. There. I said it. So, if you have multiples, line them up (1! 1 angled liner. Ah, ah, ah. 2! 2 angled liners! Ah, ah, ah) and you will see that ‘One of these things is not like the others’! I noticed this when I used my angled brush from a very pricey cosmetics company and found that applying my Brazilian Brown naturally derived and organic cake liner (that’s a mineral pressed powder liner) was a total fail! So, I grabbed another angled liner with short, tightly packed bristles, dampened it in a bit of saline for a more intense pigment deposit and swiped it on. Not impressed. Too much saline? Not enough? I reapplied a few times using both brushes and learned that was not the problem. After about a week I finally located the Angled Liner brush from Rejuva Minerals. To my surprise it worked! I was rockin’ the same perfect sweeping cat eyes I love so much.

Here is where lining them up came in handy and I challenge you to do the same. Look at all the bristles carefully. You might find some are broad/narrow/thinner/thicker/shorter/longer/softer/harder, et cetera and some may even be natural while others may be synthetic. Herein lies the difference. Various forms of eyeliner (pressed, cream, gel, loose) expected application site (tightline, waterline, Lash line above/below) and ingredients (water resistant, clean ingredients, etc.) require different shapes, lengths and types of bristles to create their own unique finish.

I can’t seem to Get Enough Coverage in my Trouble Spots!

Check out this monster of a brush! Not only does the High Def Buki brush allow you to deposit a hefty amount of powder in one area but the rounded, densely packed bristles allow for better blending afterwards, preventing an uneven finish. Don’t be scared to use it all over! Apply in circular motions for ‘One Fine Face’! And the synthetic bristles make it easy to clean!

If you’re still not where you want to be coverage wise, it may be time to consider one of Rejuva Minerals EWG VERIFIED™ concealers. Not sure which one to choose? Now you can try both balancing shades in a 1 gram sample jar to see which works best for you.

On a side note, if the ‘trouble spot’ is mild, a balancing shade of foundation may be enough to cover. For instance, if you’re a ‘neutral’ with pink undertones but you also have mild rosacea on the cheek area, you might want to try a neutral shade with yellow undertones. Our titanium dioxide free foundations in pressed and loose form are available in 2.8 gram trial size compacts, making it a bit more economical to sample different shades. Look for our new Luminous Crème foundation, expected in August 2017! They will also come in the convenient 2.8 gram trial size compacts.

Help! How Do I Blend out This Contour line?

Ugh! What a pain! That’s never pretty but with the proper tool ‘Can you fix it? Yes, you can!’ Try the new Chisel & Blend brush. I’m loving the densely packed yet soft bristles. Perfect for those with sensitive/reactive skin. This must-have brush is suitable for a variety of tasks, so you might want to consider picking up more than one. For example, it makes applying heavier layers of blush so much easier! It’s also pretty good at handling the task of applying highlighter and bronzers with greater precision.

So, here is the take away. The goal is to blend out any noticeable ‘edges’ so that there is an indiscernible ‘melting’ of the contour, highlighting or blush lines in to the foundation and the Chisel & Blend is the best tool to use for this purpose.

3 Shadow Shades, 3 Brushes? Really?!

More or less, yes. Probably. Maybe. ‘Use your imagination!’ We can help here. Start with the All Over Lid brush to apply the mid tone shade. Use the Crease brush for, well, the crease, which is the area that begins just above the fold of the lid and ends about mid lid-ish. Depending on the shape of your eye, you can take it all the way to the inner eye. If you have ‘hooded’ eyes, keep the heavier pigment deposit to the outside of lid and blend until there is an undiscernible ‘melting’ of the shade toward the inner eye. Try the Shadow Blender to ‘melt’ the colors together. Same thing with the contour shade, which can be applied with the Flocked Eye Shadow Sponge or the All Over Lid brush. The new Highlight brush makes applying the lightest shade super quick and easy.

Don’t forget to tap off the excess powder before applying! Not enough tapping? No sweat! Lightly brush away excess with the loose bristles of the Shadow Blender brush. All of our brushes (and most of our products, in fact) are vegan friendly and made in the US, by the way!

Having trouble keeping the shadows in place throughout the day? No sweat! Literally. Our Multi Task primer/finisher is perfect for priming those lids for the smooth, oil free, non-sticky surface necessary for flawless blending of our naturally derived and organic mineral makeup that lasts the day.

Broken Lipstick: A Case Study

Case 1: Your new non-toxic lipstick (hopefully Pur Lips) has just arrived and the timing couldn’t be better. It’s date night and the babysitter is on the way. Fresh out of the Priority box, you slide the lid off, twist the top to reveal your new fave color and take a swipe at your lips to test it out. That’s when it happens. The lipstick smashes against the inside of the tube, breaking off at the base! You are now staring at a slumping mess of what could have been a lasting relationship. Here’s the deal. Shipping companies are not climate controlled, nor is the mailbox. So the lipstick has been softened to the point it is not ready for immediate use. Remedy? Place your new lipstick in the fridge for a few minutes to firm it up or wait until the tube has had time to acclimate to cooler indoor temperatures where it will firm up nicely on its own.

Case 2: You place your new lipstick in the fridge and multi task your way through the next few hours, forgetting all about it. It’s time to rush off to complete the errands for the day. You snatch the now hardened lipstick out of the fridge, quickly roll it up and swipe. The top half of it slides down your pant leg, coming to rest neatly on your shoe with an audible thud. Oh boy. Here we have a two-fold problem. First, too much time in a cold environment will compromise the strength, contributing to brittle, easily broken lipstick. Second, it was twisted up a bit too far. Best practice is to expose maybe ¼ of an inch or only what is necessary to slap it on.

Case 3: Okay, we all know that leaving your lipstick in the car in the middle of summer is a no-no. So you take the time to dig it out from between the seats where it landed after tossing your bag on the passenger’s seat. Slipping it in your pocket, you head into the as-of-yet unexplored health food store across town. Rounding the corner where the chia seeds are displayed, you run into a family friend who is loving the opportunity to catch up. Eventually, you make it through the checkout line, out the door and back into the car. A quick mirror check reveals you do not have seeds in your teeth from the samplers as feared, but those lips could use a touch up. After rummaging fruitlessly around in your bag, you realize it is inexplicably devoid of the lipstick it should contain! (Psst! It’s in your pocket. You’re welcome) Rolling up the tube just enough to do the trick, you take the swipe and the crayon, though still seemingly firm, comes to rest neatly on the inner parts of the tube, reminiscent of the Tower of Pisa. It’s broken at the base. By now you get the picture.

Temperature and extension play the biggest role in the break up between you and your favorite tube. Even something as seemingly innocuous as body heat can affect this change in the stability of lipstick. Hopefully, in addition to entertaining you, we were able to offer some ‘cool’ advice, and yes, the pun is unabashedly intended.

Author: Shelly Broaderick – Licensed Cosmetologist for Rejuva Minerals

4 Reasons Your Tween Should Be Wearing Safe Cosmetics

Endocrine Disruptors – According to the EWG¹, there are 12 hormone altering chemicals we should do our best to avoid. Dubbed the ‘Dirty Dozen’, these chemicals are dangerous and in prevalent use in the US today. The EWG describes Endocrine Disruptors this way; “There is no end to the tricks that endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies: increasing production of certain hormones; decreasing production of others; imitating hormones; turning one hormone into another; interfering with hormone signaling; telling cells to die prematurely; competing with essential nutrients; binding to essential hormones; accumulating in organs that produce hormones.” Among the dozen listed is Phthalates, labeled simply as ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’. And they are in wide use in personal care products. A news article in the US News Health² section reports new research linking phthalates to type 2 diabetes and childhood obesity. The best policy is to choose cosmetics and personal care products that are free from the unnecessary use of synthetic fragrances.

Continue reading “4 Reasons Your Tween Should Be Wearing Safe Cosmetics”

Anyone Down for Some Freebies?

Getting them is so easy. Just post a pic on Instagram of your fave Rejuva Minerals product(s), tell us what you love about your pick and add the hashtag #iheartrejuvaminerals! Be sure to post it publicly or tag us so that we can SEE your entry! You can use the link at the bottom of this page to enter.

Here is what you get if you win:

An 18 gram Multi Task Powder, 1 Pur’ Lips Lipstick in Red, Red Wine, 1 Sheer Pomegranate Lip gloss, 1 Soft Rose blush, a Flat Top Buki Brush and a Soft Blush Brush! Best of luck!!