Quick Beauty Queries Vol. II, No. Three
Jul 5, 2016
Hi Belle,
Are you still using the Luna Mini? I tried the clarisonic and ended up selling it because it was too harsh on my very sensitive skin, and I’m considering the Luna Mini as another option.
Thanks, Thyra
My aging, mid-30s skin doesn’t need the deep exfoliation that my skin did in my late 20s. The Foreo Luna cleansing tools don’t scrub, they pulse to gently cleanse your skin.
I own the Foreo Luna Mini. It offers gentle cleansing and effective exfoliation. Also, without any brushes to replace, it’s more affordable than a Clarisonic. It’s a breeze to clean, and only needs to be charged every 300 uses.
The Luna also makes cleansing tools to address your unique skin concerns. They make a device for combination skin and another for ultra-sensitive skin. For anti-aging, their device is double-sided to help serum penetrate deeper into wrinkle-prone areas.
Dear Belle,
I over processed my hair dying it from brown to blond and back again. The ends are frayed and the rest is like straw. The packs and conditioners people recommend are all too heavy. Whatever good they do is undone by all the heat it takes to style product soaked hair.
Do you know of anything better? Lighter?
Sincerely, A. Keller
When hair is truly dry, a single treatment helps but doesn’t cure. Your hair needs nourishment from the inside and out. You should also skip washes to give your hair a rest.
For a lighter treatment, try Drybar’s Bay Breeze shots. They soak deep into the hair to hydrate and treat. I use half a bottle on my shoulder-length hair and massage it in. Another option is a daily leave-in treatment like Drybar’s Mr. Incredible.
Hi Belle,
You mentioned that you’re doing your sister-in-law’s makeup for her wedding. Any tips for brides on looking nice? I’m doing my own wedding makeup to save money and would love some ideas from someone with experience.
Hope you had fun at the wedding, Shannon
When I was prepping S’s makeup, I sent her a few YouTube videos and Pinterest posts. She and I agreed on this bridal makeup tutorial from Lisa Eldridge. It was the basis for the colors we chose and flushed, dewy look she selected.
I recommend a radiant primer to give a dewy finish. For a foundation, Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24-hour is long-lasting, flexible, and has low SPF to prevent “ghost face flashback.” I applied the foundation with a Sigma brush for the right amount of coverage.
For the eyes, I chose this Bare Minerals Posh Neutrals palette. It has a good mix of colors and a bit of shimmer. We also used Lancome’s Grandiose Waterproof mascara. (Don’t make the same mistake we did and forget the oil-based eye makeup remover).
Lastly, to ensure the makeup lasted all night, we spritzed the finished product with Urban Decay’s All-Nighter spray. It definitely did the trick.
Great tips! Shannon- I’d also recommend giving yourself much more time than you think you’ll need. I practiced bridal make up a few times before the day of, but didn’t realize how much my hands would be shaking from anticipation that slowed me down. Also, leave your lipstick with a bridesmaid so it will be close when you need to reapply for photos.
Absolutely seconding both of these. In addition to shaky hands, you’ll also have distractions you may not have had during your self trial runs (bridesmaids getting ready with you, family dropping in to say hi before the ceremony). Give yourself at least a half hour more than you think you need in addition to building other buffer time into your preparatory schedule.
Also, if you aren’t a boss with flat foundation brushes like the one Belle shared (I am positively horrid with them and wish I had Lisa Eldridge’s skills), flat-top kabuki brushes are another good option. Sigma sells a popular one (that works well); Coastal Scents has a surprisingly good one, too. Beautyblenders are a good option too, but they take more time to achieve full coverage.
The Laura Mercier primer is great. Hourglass Veil worked really lovely for me in conjunction with NARS Sheer Matte foundation.
In other technique recommendations, if you have blemishes to contend with, check out Lisa Eldridge’s technique for concealing them.
Good luck!
The Clarisonic was too harsh for me too. I found this Luna dupe for less than $20 on Amazon and it’s wonderful.
Docooler® Silicone Skin Mini Ultrasonic Rechargeable Facial Cleansing Brush Beauty Instruments Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q9NAW8M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_PnhFxbGTG4Z1T
Love my Luna Mini. Found it cheaper (NIB, of course) on ebay. Bought the dupe for my mother, who has roseacea, and she also loves it.
I did my own wedding makeup when my makeup artist didn’t show up. Luckily, I had all the makeup I wanted to use at hand and had been watching Lisa Eldridge’s videos (partly to learn, partly to soothe my bride-nerves with her lovely voice). I looked pretty great, and now I get bragging rights for having done my own makeup. I based my look on this tutorial, without lining the waterline and in brown shades rather than silvery grey. https://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/25340/flawless-chic-make-up-look/#.V30fMZMrKRs
I settled on a NARS lipstick that isn’t too pigmented and applied it meticulously. It wore down to a nice, even stain unlike some of the long-lasting formulations that never seem to wear well on my lips.
Shannon, I definitely second the Lancome Teint Idole foundation! I, too, did my own wedding makeup; it lasted flawlessly from application around 10:00 a.m. to the grand exit around 9:30 p.m. My skin is very sensitive, but I had no problems. It also matched my ridiculously fair skin tone (I chose not to spray tan) without turning the slightest bit orange. Congratulations, and best of luck!