Review: Nuturing Force Blot Out Offensive Cream

I bought this primer at Toronto IMATS about a month ago and I've been testing it out for the last three weeks in order to give you a thorough review. This primer comes in a jar and contains 0.5 Oz. / 14.175 g of product.

What it does: According to the Nurturing Force website, this is an instant matte primer cream that quickly absorbs into the skin. It is non-irritating, non-drying, paraben free, silicone free and alcohol free. It moisturizes as well as controls shine. There is no added colour or fragrance and is safe for sensitive skin. This primer was originally developed for the Professional Make-Up Artists working in the HDTV, Stage & Film Industries.

What I think:
This stuff is AMAZING!
I really like that it's made with aloe and that it doesn't irritate my skin; especially now that winter has finally hit us. I use this after my moisturizer and it does add a bit more moisture to my face as well as instantly remove any shine that my skin may have. This primer is not sticky and has a natural fresh scent. My makeup applies smoothly on top of this primer and I love that I don't have to wait until it sets to apply my foundation.
I use this primer mostly in my t-zone because that is where I am most oily as well as on my eye lids. I've noticed that I don't have to blot as much when I use this primer and also that my face feels very comfortable with it on. I should also mention that I have not broken out in anyway nor has my skin become irritated while testing out this primer.
I've used it under, a liquid, cream and powder foundation and it works very well under everything.

This product retails for $24 USD and can be purchased for the Nurturing Force website.

If you try it, let me know what you think about it.

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Tried and True Products Part 2: Body

I discovered Origins Precipitation body lotion last winter when my skin was giving me some serious issues with dryness. This lotion has a really fresh scent and incredible moisturizing abilities. I mostly used it at night before bed so that it would have time to skin into my skin. It left it feeling soft and hydrated.


Another favourite of mine is La Roche Posay's Lipikar Baume. This stuff is for seriously dry and irritated skin. It feels great on the skin without being too greasy. I like using this in the morning but it works great at night as well.


This body wash is by far my favourite of the many body washes and shower gels that I have tried. It's so creamy, it gives a great lather but doesn't over dry my skin. An added bonus is that this smells so good, you'll want to eat it.

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The Learning Continues

I love reading, especially when the book is about makeup. A few weeks ago, I picked up the Jemma Kidd Makeup Masterclass book to add to my ever growing collection. What I really like about this book is that it's easy to read and understand. I also like that it covers skincare basics. I've said this so many times in some of my posts but a great makeup application really does start with great skin. I've worked on clients that don't take care of their skin properly or at all and the makeup application was patchy and uneven. There are some great looks in this book as well. I don't think that this book is a must have but it is a nice addition for those who collect makeup books like I do.

Also, a few weeks ago I attended a makeup workshop on makeup for mature skin and I brought my mother-in-law as my model. This workshop was amazing and I learned so much about how to apply makeup on skin that isn't as firm as it used to be. I forgot to bring my camera but I will be making over my mother-in-law again some time during the holidays so I'll be sure to post a before and after.

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Tried and True Products Part 1: Face

I've loved all things makeup and beauty for as long as I can remember and over the years I have tried a lot of good and not so good product. This is going to be a series of post of my favourite tried and true products that I keep going back to over and over again.

La Roche Posay ~ Effaclar and Toleraine Facial Cleansers.
When I was in my early twenties I starting breaking out with lots of cystic acne all over my face. It was very painful and the Effaclar was the only cleanser that I was able to use the was gentle enough to cleanse my skin with out irritating it. I use the Toleriane during the winter when my skin gets irritated from the cold and also when it gets irritated from trying new products that don't agree with my skin.

Mary Kay Oil-Free Hyrdating Gel
I use this gel all year round to boost my skins hydration. I like that it doesn't feel sticky and that it feels cooling on the skin. It also absorbs fairly quickly which is great. I wear this under my regular moisturizer.

Vichy Normaderm Active Anti-Imperfection Concentrate.
This is one of my favourite pimple creams. It has a nice fresh scent and really does work to help reduce the size the blemishes that you have.

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Review: Fresh Soy Cleanser

Winter is fast approaching and that means that it's time to change up your skincare. My skin gets really sensitive and irritated during the winter months so for the last few weeks, I've been testing out Fresh's Soy Cleanser.

What the Fresh website says:
"SOY FACE CLEANSER is a unique, multifunctional, daily formula that promotes a pure, clean, healthy complexion. Ideal for all skin types, this ultra-gentle face wash contains nourishing amino acids, rich soy proteins, and soothing botanicals to hydrate, calm, and tone. The lightweight, natural cucumber- and rose-scented formula has a refreshing, cooling effect. For those who wear makeup, SOY FACE CLEANSER effectively removes every last trace, even around the delicate eye area."

What I think:
This has to be one of the most interesting cleansers that I have tried in a long time. Unlike, most cleansers, this one is more gelatinous in texture. It has a very clean smell and I'd have to say that it smells more like cucumber then it does of rose. I really like how gentle this cleanser is and how clean it leaves my face feeling. It doesn't leave that tight feeling that most cleansers do; probably because it doesn't contain any SLS (sodium laurel or laureth sulfates).
The down side to this cleanser is that it's so darn expensive ~ $48 CDN (+ taxes) for 150ml and $19.50 CDN (+ taxes) for 50ml.
This cleanser does a decent job of removing your makeup and I've used it with a cleansing oil and without a cleansing oil. I didn't find that it was that great for removing waterproof mascara so you may want to use an eye makeup remover prior to using the cleanser.

Overall:
The Soy Cleanser from Fresh is a decent cleanser that removes light makeup (not including waterproof) without drying out your skin. It has a nice clean scent that I don't find too overpowering. While is is a good cleanser, I won't say that it's the best that I've ever used and because of the steep price, I don't think that I would repurchase it.

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IMATS Goodies: Part 4

This is the last post for my IMATS goodies and consists of some of the more random things that I picked up. Note that this is going to be a long post with pictures.

From Nurturing Force I got the Blot Out Offensive™ shine + oil control cream and the airbrush cleanser. What I love about Nurturing Force is not only are they a mom & pop operation but there products really work. Last year at the Makeup Show, I picked up the Face & Body blotting papers(not pictured)which come in a dispenser so you can decide how much or how little of a sheet you need.


Makeup Forever has a really big presence at the show this year and I think that it has a lot to do with their HD products but also because their products are very pigmented and work well. It is a professional brand created by a makeup artist for makeup artists but is available to the general public as well. I got my hands on the HD Microfinish Powder and the Kabuki brush that goes along with it for $50 for both; a real steal if you ask me. I was wanting a setting powder that I can use on eveyone.I don't like using coloured powders on darker skin as I find that darker skin tends to be a bit more on the oily side and I don't want the makeup to appear even darker due to oxidization.


Alcone was there and I made sure that I stopped by the booth. On my list was the Lip Chic lip sealer. I've never been a fan of the long wearing lipsticks because they leave the lips feeling and looking really dry and sometime chapped. I'm going to be testing this with a few lipstick brands so keep an eye out for the experiment and review. I also picked up the famous Alcone Makeup Remover Cloths because I have heard so many good things about them. I tried one out the other night and was really impressed with it. Like the Boots #7 wipes that I reviews a little while ago, these don't leave a residue. I will definitely be repurchasing these for my kit and for personal use.

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