How to pick my mascara

How to pick your mascara

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Joanna

If I could only use one makeup product the rest of my life, it would have to be mascara. A little mascara and lip gloss are my go to products in a pinch; it is remarkable how such a small amount of makeup can really help you to look so put together. This past week jane iredale relaunched our Longest Lash Thickening & Lengthening Mascara with a new brush. I have been absolutely hooked on this mascara since I received a sneak peek of it a couple of weeks ago…AMAZING. It got me thinking about all of our mascaras and what each one’s role is. I hope this post helps you to choose the right mascara for your needs.

Longest Lash Thickening & Lengthening Mascara

If you are someone like me, full, long, dark lashes are what you strive for. The fuller and darker my lashes are, the happier I am and the prettier I feel. My lashes are naturally short and thin so I can use all of the help I can get. That’s why this mascara is my go to choice. Longest Lash Thickening & Lengthening Mascara was designed to make your lashes look thicker and longer naturally. It separates and defines your lashes and does so without clumping. You can also add coats later in the day after it drys (I’ve tried and it works!). I liked the previous brush that came with this mascara, but I really love this one. The new brush has a lot of little bristles that work to thoroughly coat my lashes, it also makes this mascara easier to build volume with less coats. It comes in three colors: Black Ice,Espresso and Slate Gray.

PureLash Lengthening Mascara

If you have naturally full lashes, but need help with length, this mascara is a great choice. The shape of the PureLash Lengthening Mascara brush is perfectly designed to evenly coat and build the length of your lashes. This is my favorite mascara to use over Faux Lashes because it helps to evenly increase length without adding excess volume, no tarantula eyes here! PureLash Lengthening Mascara comes in three colors: Jet Black,Brown Black and Navy.

PureLash Mascara

PureLash Mascara is the original jane iredale mascara. It is designed for those who want to add a lovely, natural touch of color to their lashes. It is also water resistant and highly resistant to smearing and flaking, which makes it perfect for sensitive eyes or emotional occasions. This mascara is a great choice if you are lucky enough to have naturally full and long lashes but are looking to enhance what you have. PureLash comes in Black Onyx and Agate Brown.

PureLash Extender & Conditioner

A single coat of this conditioner before applying mascara helps to strengthen, lengthen and thicken your lashes. It also helps make your mascara twice as effective and allows you to use less. Jane herself has called this the one product no girl should live without, and even suggests wearing it alone at night to help strengthen and condition. It is amazing the wonders this has done for my thin, short lashes, I even think it has helped them to grow a little! I like to use one coat on both my top and bottom lashes and then immediately apply my mascara on top.

What are you looking for in a mascara? Let us know by commenting below!

Snow Bunny Beauty

We have not had a good snow storm here in the Berkshires for two seasons. To most people that is great news. But for me, a lover of all things winter, it is tragic. I love the snow, the cold and most of all, snowboarding. So in celebration of the upcoming storm and for those of you who ski or snowboard and are happiest on the slopes, this one’s for you! You know, just last week, I was thinking how wonderful it would be to celebrate my hard-working month of no-drinking-fund-raising for DRY JULY with a glass of yummy French bubbles amongst the snowy slopes of Aussie ski resort Thredbo.

And then BAM! just like that, a too-good-to-refuse invitation to Thredbo’s second annual Veuve Clicquot in the Snow pinged itself right into my email inbox.
Best of all, it’s open to the public and prices are super-reasonable, so you can mix and mingle with the stars, too. Visitwww.thredbo.com.au for more details, but as you’re preparing, remember that the snow’s below-zero temperatures, low humidity and high UV-reflection can wreak havoc on your looks. No matter what the occasion, we always want to look and feel our best both on-piste and at après, so I thought I’d share with you some of my all-time top snow bunny beauty tips to carry you through the socialClicquot in the Snow week.
2. Swap to a Creamy cleanser
Try: KORA Organics Balancing Rose Mist
Try: Miranda’s on the verge of launching her very own KORA organic, soothing lip balm, so watch this space guys! It’s going to be beautiful!
9. Hydration Plus

Of course, I RSVP’d “oui”, faster than you could utter “le snowball fight”. I mean, the event is world class and always amazing! It began in Aspen, Colorado in 2007 and really gained ground this year in Vail, Colorado (my all time favourite ski resort). it was a mega success, with gorgeous Australian actress Abbie Cornish in attendance, loving the tubing rides!

And so, I’ll be heading to Thredbo from August 1^st through to 7^th to revel in the glamorous winter wonderland, which will be blanketed in fluffy white snow, peppered with that very vivid Veuve Clicquot orange! Aside from amazing breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners and wine tastings, there will be luxury spa sessions and super healthy and fun on-piste adventures such as tubing races, ski racing andTwilight rides. Bliss!

1. Don’t over-imbibe!OK, I know it’s a Veuve Clicquot week, with plenty of Champagne flowing, but do remember that just one alcoholic drink at altitude is equivalent to having three at sea level. It’s not only unhealthy to have more than one or two drinks a day in any location, but it can leave your skin dry and dull, your eyes bleary and puffy and your energy levels flagging! Stick to one or two glasses, tops, and drink more water than you think is humanly possible to rehydrate internally and keep skin and eyes sparkling.



There’s hardly any moisture in the air in alpine environments. As a result, the air will quickly zap moisture from your skin. You need to swap to more hydrating products, and this begins with cleansing.

Hint: Don’t use soap! It closes pores and prevents moisturiser from working.

Try: KORA Organics Cream Cleanser. It melts away makeup as it hydrates and balances your dry skin.

3. Use a gentle toner
Just as a grooming machine prepares a ski run so it’s easier to shush down, a toner preps your skin for moisturiser and improves its performance. It rebalances pH levels and removes all traces of cleanser. Toners also help keep skin firm and supple. Simply wipe or spritz over skin to soothe your skin and help hydration!

4.  Embrace a Brightening Exfoliator
Our natural skin exfoliation slows down during winter, so you really need to give it a helping hand, especially if you’re wearing sunblock daily, which can sometimes clog pores. Be sure to exfoliate once or twice a week to better enable your treatment creams to work and keep your skin glowing. Remember, don’t scrub harshly – simply massaging gently over skin is sufficient for the product to do its job properly.

Try: KORA Organics Exfoliating Cream

5. Slather on ridiculous amounts of softening, protective lip balm
The skin on your lips is the same as the skin on your nipples – super sensitive. If damaged, it takes longer to repair. One sun or windburn left untreated can turn into a problem all winter. The solution is to apply and reapply soothing, protective lip balm frequently when you’re out in the powdery fluffy stuff!

6. Apply a skin-drenching, protective moisture cream
You want something that is not only going to quench parched skin, but protect it from further dehydration. Bonus if it is small enough to slip in your ski jacket and reapply at lunchtime.

Try: KORA ORGANICS Soothing Day and Night Cream

7. Don’t forget UV Protection
UV rays can do twice the damage in the snow, thanks its super-reflective properties. Apply high protection sunblock before hitting the slopes and reapply every hour to all exposed areas.

Try: KORA Organics Tinted Day Cream with UVA Protection.

8. Don’t stress out your strands!
Never leave the house with wet hair when you’re in an alpine environment. The water in your hair can freeze up pretty quickly, and cause your hair to snap. It can also cause split ends too. Solution? Apply a leave in protective lotion before you blow-dry thoroughly, then tie your hair in braids, or a bun to protect it from the elements. Use gentle, hydrating shampoo and conditioner too.

Try: O&M has a wonderfully organic range of hair care and styling products, and Miranda is also working on some fab KORA hair care too!

9. Nurture your hands
They’re in and out of gloves, wrapped around hot coffee mugs, feeling the chill and prone to chapping, nail’s splitting and cuticles tearing. Just like your lips, a nick, cut or chafe on your hands left untreated can lead to major problems all season. Get obsessive with applying a deeply hydrating hand cream. Keep it in your ski jacket and apply it when you’re in a long lift line, or taking the lift to the summit (just be careful not to drop your gloves!).

Try: KORA Organics Daily Hand Cream Treatment. I also love to apply Luxurious Rosehip Oil applied at night, as it literally melts into skin leaving a non-greasy, hydrating protective barrier. Massage it into cuticles, to, in order to strengthen the nail bed.

The skin on your body will take a bit of a beating too, with cold temperatures and indoor heating, not to mention the workout your muscles get on the slopes. Look for a deeply hydrating body serum made with soothing essential oils that you can massage all over after you’ve slipped out of post-ski Jacuzzi!

SNOW BUNNY BEAUTY

Beauty products to beat that cold-worn skin, hair and lips

Whether you’ve been hitting the slopes, or just walking the sidewalks on a blistery windy day, winter-worn skin, hair and lips are probably no stranger to you by now. These essentials moisturizers, exfoliators and de-frizzers will help to primp and polish, and get you back to snow bunny beautiful.

1. Ceraminde capsules, $86, Elizabeth Arden.

2. Body butter, $24, LoveFresh.

3. Scrub, $40, Bliss, available at Sephora.

4. Shampoo, $30, Lush.

5. Hand cream, $17, Weleda.

6. Moisturizer with SPF 20, $53, Clinique.

7. Lip polish, $26, Fresh, available at Sephora.

8. Hair treatment, $41, Moroccanoil, available at select salons.

9. Lip balm, $5, Burt’s Bees.

This is how I hope my driveway looks tomorrow morning.

HOW TO WASH BRUSHES

How To Clean Makeup Brushes, How To Clean Makeup Brushes make up

Let's face it! Professional makeup brushes are an investment.  And, like any other investment, we want a great return on that investment.  One of best ways to ensure that will happen is proper brush care. One of the best things you can do for your brushes is to clean them - regularly.  Clean them when they are first purchased and clean them on a regular basis to remove:

	Old makeup
	Dirt & debris
	Bacteria
	Oils
	Dead skin cells

One of the greatest benefits to keeping your brushes clean is softness! Yes, did you realize that makeup buildup, especially foundation, makes your brushes feel scratchy? If you have sensitive skin, cleaning your brushes regularly will help them stay soft and lush! Your skin will thank you!

How often should you clean your brushes?  Ideally, everyday. But, who has time for that? So, here are a few guidelines:

	Foundation Brushes - minimum once a week
	Brushes used for finishing powders and bronzers - once a week
	Blush Brushes - one a week
	Eyeshadow Brushes - every 2-3 days
	Eyeliner Brushes - after every use especially if you use an eyeliner sealant.

For those that suffer with acne, you will greatly benefit from keeping your foundation brushes clean at all times. To cut down on cleaning time, rotate brushes so you always have a fresh clean one to use.

How to clean your brushes:

 First, you want to wet the hairs under the faucet with tepid to warm water with the hairs pointing downwards - this will help prevent any water getting in to the ferrule (metal part) or down in to the handle for brushes that don’t have ferrules.

 Next you want to use a mild shampoo, liquid hand soap, pure castile soap or our favorite - California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash.  Squirt a little soap on your fingers and apply it to the hairs from ferrule to hair tips. Gently squeeze the hairs from ferrule to hair tips over and over adding a little water at a time.  Rinse and repeat until the water runs clear.  Make sure when you are rinsing to keep the brush hairs pointing down.

 After your brushes have a good bath, brush them off a little on a clean paper towel and lay them to dry on their side on a paper towel or a regular towel. It is also a good idea to reshape the brush at this point in time to prevent splaying. Lay kabuki’s and any other stand-up brush on their side. Never leave them to dry brush hairs up in a brush holder.  The water can run down in to the ferrule and loosen the glue holding the brush together over time.

 Lastly, let brushes dry completely before using.  Dry time will depend on size and brush density.

Keeping your brushes in good condition by washing frequently will provide you with years of beautiful makeup application!  Now that's a great investment!

How often do you clean your makeup brushes? Although this tends to be the one thing we most overlook, it is one of the most important things we can do!  Makeup brushes are an investment and we want to make sure you get all you can from them. Makeup brushes can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Think of how much bacteria is on your face daily.  Bacteria and natural oils transmit onto your brushes every time they come in contact with your skin. And if you are using them on clients, you may be picking up germs and transferring them onto other people including you.

Regular Cleaning Will Help Remove:

• Old Makeup
• Dirt and Debris
• Dead Skin Cells
• Bacteria
• Oils

Another benefit of keeping your makeup brushes clean is softness. Makeup buildup on your brushes can make them feel scratchy. Cleaning your brushes on a regular basis will help keep them soft and supple. This is especially great for people with sensitive skin.

So how often should you clean your makeup brushes? Preferably, once a week if not more, this will help maintain your brushes lifespan. Wash your brushes at night and allow them to dry so they will be ready for the next day, or right after your apply your makeup. You just want to make sure you allow enough time for them to dry thoroughly before using.

Below we are going to give your some of the best and most cost effective ways to clean your brushes.

What You Will Need

• Bar of Soap
• Sponge
• Olive Oil or Almond Oil
• Hair Conditioner
• Baby Shampoo or Liquid Detergent
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Clear Finger Nail Polish – This is optional

How to Clean Your Brushes

• Soap – You want to use an unscented, pure, white soap for this. Dial or Ivory would be ideal. With lukewarm water, get your brush completely wet. Once your brush has been saturated, swirl the brush onto the bar of soap until it lathers up nicely. Then, rinse the brush in lukewarm water. Make sure you don’t use water that is to hot or too cold. Also, when rinsing your brushes, don’t get water above the shaft or metal part. If you do it will eventually cause rust which will cause the bristles of the brush to fall out. Gently squeeze out any excess water from the brush and lay it flat on a clean towel and allow them to air dry for at least 6 to 8 hours.
• Detergent or Baby Shampoo and a Sponge – Take a clean sponge and wet it once again using lukewarm water. You can use either baby shampoo or dish detergent whichever one you prefer. Wet your brush making sure you saturate the brush completely. Squeeze a small amount of detergent or shampoo onto the sponge and swirl your brush on the sponge working up a good lather. Then rinse your brush with lukewarm water. You want to make sure you feel the brush when you are rinsing it to make sure you rinse all the shampoo or detergent out of the brush. If it feels slippery or slimy, continue to rinse until your brush feels clean. Once again, squeeze out the excess water and lay them flat on a clean towel to dry.
• Olive or Almond Oil – This should only be used for brushes that are heavily embedded with makeup. For example, if your used your brush in a gel liner or if the brush is very stiff with makeup residue. Take a clean paper towel and dispense a small amount of either olive oil or almond oil and swirl the brush (dry) onto the towel. Don’t use to much oil, you don’t want your brush to become soaked with oil. You just want to use enough to help break down the makeup on the brush. After that, clean the brush like normal and make sure your rinse the brush completely and lay flat on a clean towel to dry.
• Beauty Blenders (what are these?) – So many of you ask how to clean these and the process is pretty much like cleaning any other of your makeup brushes. You can use either a bar of soap, baby shampoo or dish detergent. Using dish detergent does make it a little easier when cleaning these because you can directly apply it to the beauty blender. Cleaning beauty blenders do take a little bit longer because of the rinsing process. Wet the beauty blender with lukewarm water and squeeze on a small amount of detergent onto it. Roll the Beauty Blender in your hands to help work the detergent completely in to it and rinse until the water is clear. Make sure you rinse these thoroughly until you see clean water when you squeeze the beauty blender. If the water isn’t clear, there is still product in the beauty blender. You may have to repeat this process a few times to get the beauty blender completely clean since they do soak up a lot of product. Once clean, squeeze out any excess water and lay flat to dry. You will know when the beauty blender is dry because it will have shrunk in size.

Now that your brushes are perfectly clean, we need to focus on another aspect of thoroughly cleaning your brushes…the handle! When you use your makeup brushes you are transferring germs, bacteria and even makeup onto the handles of your brushes. Remember, anything that is on the handle of your brushes is being passed to everything else you touch. To clean the handle of your brushes, pour rubbing alcohol onto a paper towel and rub over the handle of your brushes. This will not only clean but disinfect the handles as well. Another great tip to keep your brushes looking great is to apply clear fingernail polish over the numbers or names that are written on the brush. This will keep the name or number of the brushes from eventually wearing off and make the brushes easy to identify.  Some brushes can feel stiff even after washing them. You want your brushes to feel soft and luxurious against your skin. If this is the case, take a small amount of conditioner in your hand and massage it gently into the bristles and rinse in lukewarm water and lay flat to dry. This will give the bristles a soft, velvety feel to them.

And there you have it, easy and inexpensive ways to make sure your makeup brushes are clean and well protected. Remember, cleaning your brushes is vital in helping preserve your makeup brushes. If you are uncertain which makeup brushes are worth investing in, check out our guide to the Top 10: Makeup Brushes to help your decide which brushes are right for you.

Makeup brushes can harbor lots of dirt and bacteria, but frequent washing of your makeup brushes can keep them - and your face - clean and healthy. Below are some tips and pointers on how to keep your makeup brushes clean.

Keep your tools in shape, just like the pros do.

To clean makeup brushes, pour a mild household liquid soap or baby shampoo into the palm of your hand and mix with water. Use your hand as a cup for the warm, soapy water and swirl brushes in your palm until they are clean. Rinse well, then gently squeeze excess water from the brush and let air-dry. Don't soak brushes in the sink. Too much time in water can loosen the bristles and ruin your brush!