I had seen the BeautyBlender on the Purely Cosmetics website many times and had read reviews of the funny pink egg on blogs but I just never felt compelled to buy it. What is it? It’s a funky spongy pink egg thingie that is touted as “The Ultimate Make Up Sponge Applicator”. I mean really – how “ultimate” can a make up sponge be? I thought I was happy with my flat-top brush from Purely Cosmetics so I figured I didn’t need this bizarre looking tool.

Then on the Bionic Beauty blog (fun blog – check it out) – they said there was a special offer for Valentine’s Day – you got 2 Blenders plus a bunch of sponge-cleanser packets to keep it fresh. I checked out the site and decided that it was time to try this thing out. (I actually bought the one without the cleansers as I like to use Garden Girl shower gel to clean brushes and sponges.)

So these cute little guys arrived at my doorstep and I was immediately intrigued. I have to say, for some reason I expected them to be firmer – not as soft. But they are very soft and they are AMAZING with mineral powders! I said I had “thought” I was happy with brushes but once I tried this I knew I’d never go back – at least not for the base powders (I still prefer a brush for blush and obviously eye liner).  No more powder messes that have always frustrated me. Plus – the egg shape is perfect for getting different areas covered – the wider ends for the forehead, cheeks and chin – the pointier end for eyes and nose areas. Really – it’s a simple but fantastic little tool.

So I highly recommend getting the blenders – either from PurelyCosmetics or straight from the BeautyBlender website where, by the way, they are still having their special offer! Even if you use cream based foundations or other non-mineral products, check them out – you’ll love them!

Yep – still on my quest for a great natural mascara. This time, it led me to Sephora where I found Tarte Lash Hugger mascara. Love that it’s free of parabens, mineral oil, propylene glycol, phthalates, sulfates, fragrance and dyes. Sounds familiar, right? Right away I was excited. So how does it compare to the Kiehl’s Mascara that I reviewed earlier?

First off, the ingredients list is much smaller and appears more natural. Another plus. But the application of the product is totally different from Kiehl’s. As I had said, Kiehl’s goes on thick and a bit clumpy. But it definitely made my short and straight lashes stand out. I would say the Tarte mascara is more, hmmm… refined? It’s not as heavy and the brush has a lot of very fine bristles so after one coat, my lashes are less dramatic than Kiehl’s – but also noticeably less clumpy. So overall, I think I would have to go with Tarte as my “go to” mascara, but Kiehl’s is good when I need to put on make-up fast and am less worried about how natural it looks.

I think I can now put this search on hold. I am happy with Tarte Lash Hugger, and at $18 for a 0.19 oz tube (at Sephora), I will want to use this up before I invest in checking out another mineral mascara.

This is just a quick post. I have had a lot of people ask me what I recommend for make-up and what I use for sunscreen.

First, I want to be clear that if there was any possibility of Garden Girl producing an SPF face product I’d do it in a flash. Unfortunately, it is prohibitively expensive for us to do it and here’s why – the FDA has to approve a specific formula because it would be considered an over-the-counter drug.

But believe me, I share in your frustration. I cannot find a face product that I feel good about using. There isn’t one that has ingredients that are even close to what I would want to use.

Which brings me to mineral make-up. I use mineral make-up everyday now because the minerals not only make your skin look flawless, but it has the added bonus of having sun-blocking minerals. So it’s a great safety net.

The make-up I have been happiest with is www.everydayminerals.com. They offer a great free trial kit (you pay only for shipping) and then their full-sized products are very reasonably priced. I love the powders, however some of the brushes haven’t been great and the lipstick seems to dry out my lips so I am still seeking a lipstick (lead-free, of course!) I definitely think they are worth taking a peek at!

So what do I use for sunprotection aside from mineral make-up? I have resorted to Blue Lizard either SENSITIVE skin or BABY (none of the others – as they contain nasty Oxybenzone). Baby and Sensitive are actually the same product – just different names. It does contain parabens which I usually avoid like the plague, but it only has Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide – and it doesn’t stink, it has no added fragrance, isn’t terribly sticky/gooey like some others, and generally does a great job. It was also on the list as one of the best when EWG reviewed sunscreens last summer. So until I find something better (and believe me, I’m looking for suggestions!) – this is what my family will be using all summer.

So check out Blue Lizard – it is available at CVS (and I’m guessing Walgreen’s as well). If enough people were interested, I would consider offering it on my website as well. Let me know!