Dr. Jart+ Beauty Balms.

With the recent onslaught of beauty balms, I have to wonder why they weren't introduced to us in the states much earlier. I for one, am wondering where they have been all my life.  Especially these beauties from Dr. Jart. Check out Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm and Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm.

First, let's take a moment to understand what a Beauty Balm is.

Beauty Balm "BB" is your skincare regimen in one tube, created by Dr. Jart. It moisturizes, protects, and corrects. No foundation needed. BB is your moisturizer, sunscreen and treatment serum, while hiding uneven skin tone so well that it minimizes the need for foundation or concealer. Skin looks smooth, perfect and natural.

I agree with that statement, but I would add in primer to the mix as well. The fact that I am not 16 anymore and have a very uneven skin tone, I need to tell you that these do not cut out the need for foundation on myself from the start. But it does minimize it.

Take a look at both of the Beauty Balms Dr. Jart has to offer and my opinions on each.

Dr. Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm - $32.00 at Sephora
This beauty balm is made with 50% water with Dr. Jart's Advanced Water Bead Technology which hydrates and maintains healthy moisture for a dewy, fresh look on the skin all day long. This contains an SPF 25, which is essential. This formula is also oil-free.

The shade is a light- light medium shade. In the winter, I could get away with using just this on the weekends, but it is too light for my skin right now. As I smooth it on my skin, I feel a burst of hydration, as the water that is encapsulated in the formula bursts onto skin. My skin instantly looks more even even and feels extremely hydrated.  The balm is light, but it feels heavier than a primer. There is no silicone primer feel to it, but the coverage and moisture seems to adhere to the skin making it a wonderful primer.  I do not need moisturizer when using this right now. As I am much more dry in the winter months, I would probably use a daytime moisturizer beneath this then, but realize that I do get very dry in the winter. The end result is a much more flawless look, with or without makeup.  I have been using this alone on no makeup days and I look much more refreshed. With makeup, like I said, the look is closer to flawless than ever.  I have to wear less product and work less at concealing my uneven skin tone, age spots and freckles.

Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm - $39.00 at Sephora
This beauty balm is an all in one triple function balm that contains advanced brightening and anti-aging properties. This one creates the ideal base for other makeup application as it conceals and perfects skin as it is applied. It contains a higher SPF of 45 and contains antioxidant bio-peptides and adenosine.

The color is lighter and brighter, if not whiter with a pink undertone to it than the Water Fuse. It is much too light for my skin and it sort of left a white cast under a darker foundation.  Not that this is a bad thing, my skin tone is just too dark for this one.

I thought I would like this one more than the Water Fuse balm as my major skin concerns involve aging and brightening. The formula feels great on my skin, but I crave the intense water burst I get from the Water Fuse formula and the shade is more suitable for me.

I would hope that now that Dr. Jart products are available in the US, that maybe they will branch out and make some darker shades.  I realize that these are specifically made for Asian skin in Asian cultures, where the goal is have the whitest, most flawless, porcelain-like skin tone.

Bobbi Brown Reinvented Mineral Makeup.

Some of my favorite foundations come from Bobbi Brown. Her Skin Foundation has a prominent place on my vanity as I use it a few times a week. Now, I am not a huge fan of powder foundation and have had a problem with mineral powders in the past. With that said, if there is anyone that might get me to change, it would be Bobbi. For those reasons alone, I am pretty excited for her new Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup SPF 15 ($38.00).

"This makeup actually looks like skin - it's mineral makeup reinvented." - Bobbi Brown.

 

The formula is different and new. It is a unique blend of mineral powder that perfects skins appearance without leaving an unnatural or artificial looking sheen. A Vitamin C and E complex is added to help protect again free radicals, while Glycerin, Soybean Extract and Ceramides help to soften and smooth the skin.  Sodium Hyaluronate helps prevent any dryness so makeup never looks cakey.

Bobbi says that if you just need a light coverage, use a face brush to get a nice even coverage.  If you prefer a more medium or full coverage press and blend the powder into skin with a powder puff. You can then build on top of that with a face brush.

Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup comes in nine color-correct shades. I posted a little video from Bobbi about it over on the Beautiful Makeup Search Facebook page.

I look forward to giving this one a try. How about you?

Best Bronzer: Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder.

If you are looking for a loose powder bronzer to use all over skin, look no further than Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finish Powder ($28.00) in Bronze.

This loose powder bronzer glides on evenly and imparts a healthy, natural warmth to my skin as I brush it on. As it bronzes, my pores, lines and wrinkles seem to almost disappear as skin appears airbrushed.

The secret to this powder may just be the intuitive and skin smart Amazonian clay, though. As it is nature's most perfect ingredient, it acts as a total skin balancer by reducing dryness and flakiness, improving clarity and texture, and removing surface oil to mattify skin for a soft and flawless lit-from-within finish; all while replenishing and rehydrating skin. And making it looked beautiful and bronzed to boot.