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Bathos Review

After mfluder suggested Bathos on the Fashion & Beauty board, I decided to order a couple of their products to try. She said she had success with their Rx Complexion Soap, so ordered that and the Nereid's Clay Mask.

Here is what the soap looks like [from their site because I forgot to take a photo]:

 

It is pink from the calamine it contains, which you might remember if you've ever had the Chicken Pox or Poison Ivy. Here's the full ingredient list:

Lye, olive oil, coconut oil, palm kernal oil, calamine powder, vegetable glycerin, and a blend of essential oils including, tea tree, Rose de Mai absolute, and lavender.

What I really like about their products is how natural they are and how homemade everything seems, while still being nicely packaged. I have to admit I haven't used this as my sole facial cleanser so I can't say much for how it works long-term, but I do like how soft it makes my skin feel. I definitely didn't have any adverse reaction to it and I would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a natural acne solution [probably not over the Best Bath Store Acne Facial Bar, though].

Now for the Nereid's Clay Mask. While I really like it and think it's great for me, I would not recommend this if you are sensitive to tingly sensations on your face! I like that this mask came with a cold pack [it has to be refrigerated] and will last for 3-4 months.

I tried it as soon as it came in the mail. I used way too much the first couple of times but I probably won't be able to use it all before it goes bad, so I guess it doesn't matter. You really only need this much to lightly cover your entire face and throat:

Anyway, it is fragrant and cooling and for the most part refreshing. The only thing some people might hate is that it tingles. If you can get past that, I think you will really like this mask. I love that it contains -again- all natural ingredients and bentonite clay, which is great for bringing out impurities in the skin. I left it on for 15-20 minutes each time. I actually used it several times the first week or so and did notice that my skin was clearer and had slightly less redness. FYI, I'm wearing Sephora by OPI in Dark Room here:

I just thought of another negative with this: it can be a little difficult to wash off because of the pieces of sea kelp. It's not a big deal, only slightly annoying if you're in a hurry or something.

Overall, I will be ordering again from Bathos as they have so many interesting products but I hope they will lower their shipping rate [I believe it was $9 for any size order when I bought these]. Other than that, I am very happy with these and thank you, mfluder for suggesting them!

Sephora by OPI Brainiac Nail Polish

Recently I decided to branch out and try some new nail colors that I wouldn't normally wear. I wanted a creamsicle orange, something more sophisticated [if orange polish can be that] than a bright orange. I also wanted a color that wouldn't totally wash me out.

Anyway, the other day while I was picking some things up at Sephora, I came across this in the sale nail polish section. It cost around $5 and was the only color even close to what I was looking for.

It's darker than a creamsicle but I am surprised at how much I like it. I put it on last night and already got a compliment on it... from a straight man.

 

It's still brighter than I'm used to but less harsh than a bright red. Don't overlook the sale bin!

Chanel Blanc Ceramic Nail Polish

I have a couple of bottles of this that I bought a few years ago when white nail polish was a big trend. I am very fair so I usually go for either very pale or very dark colors. I normally never have my nails painted but one of my resolutions for 2010 is to be more 'put together' and I think nail polish is a good way to do that.

I painted my nails with this the other day. It is a very sheer pearlescent white and required 3 coats.

Because I am very bad about chipping/ smudging wet nails and I'm impatient, I dipped my nails in ice cold water about 10 minutes after I applied the top coat. I had read about that in a DIY beauty book several years ago and decided I needed all the help I could get.

I guess it's ok but I think it's too light. I'm also not a big fan of waiting around for 3 coats to dry. Once before, I painted them with OPI Alpine Snow and then did a coat of Blanc Ceramic on top. I think I prefer that for a more opaque color and fewer coats.

rms beauty review 2

Because I was so impressed with the "un" cover-up, I decided to try more from rms beauty. I ordered the lip2cheek in muse and got samples of it in promise and modest. I also received a sample of the eyeshadow in solar because they were out of the darker color I wanted to try.

Here is a photo of the samples:

And here they are on my [super pale] wrist:

I really like all of the colors and how pigmented they are. The lip2cheek colors have a noticeably thicker consistency, though, than the smile color did. They feel almost like a chopped up lipstick.

I like both of the cheek colors equally and that it takes only a tiny bit to cover both cheeks. I still think I prefer the pink of smile, though, and am considering ordering the full size.

As for the cream eyeshadow, I am very impressed at how pigmented and sparkly it is. It is a very bright gold and would be great all over the eyelid. I rarely wear eyeshadow so I've only put it in the inner corners of my eyes and to line the bottom lashes but I like it.

Now for muse...

It's not as pasty or opaque as it appears on my finger but it's so sheer that without so much, it wouldn't photograph. It is much lighter than I expected, about a shade darker than my cheeks. It has very slight shimmer but I don't really notice it when it's on my face. I think it's great for an extremely natural-looking cheek color.

Here it is on my wrist:

I'm a big blush fan so most of the time I will layer a pink color over this but I really like it as a base color that isn't too much.

Overall, I still think I need to order smile but definitely recommend muse for a very subtle color.

Purchase it for $36 from Nature of Beauty or directly from rms beauty.

rms beauty review

Rose-Marie Swift is a New York City makeup artist who suffered for years from illnesses caused by her constant exposure to toxic cosmetic products. She began losing her hair and her memory, suffered from anxiety and panic attacks, and dealt with hormone imbalance, sleep problems, and candidiasis. When her weakened immune system finally landed her in the hospital, her doctors began to take her seriously.

According to her website, "she learned that her body had toxic levels of heavy metals including aluminum, barium, cadmium, lead, and mercury as well as high levels of pesticides, solvents, and other chemicals." When a lab technician read her test results and asked her Do you work in the cosmetic industry?, Rose-Marie's quest for natural, healthy makeup alternatives began. Until then she had had no idea that cosmetics could contribute to such serious health issues."

In 2008, Rose-Marie launched rms beauty, a makeup line made from organic, raw, natural ingredients. The ingredients used are listed here:
Minerals
Coconut Oil
Cocoa Butter
Shea Butter
Beeswax
Jojoba Oil
Castor Oil
Argan Oil
Sunflower Oil
Propolis
Vitamin E
Rosemary Extract
Centella
Vanilla

All the makeup comes in glass pots and can be easily applied with the fingertips. The products currently available from rms beauty include:
"un" cover-up, a concealer available in 3 shades
lip & skin balm
lip2cheek, a blush or lip color available in 6 shades
cream eye shadow, available in 6 metallic colors
living luminizer, a sheer illuminator for the face or body

Upon discovering this brand a couple of weeks ago, I scoured online reviews of the various products to decide what I should try first. I ended up discovering The Nature of Beauty, an online retailer who sells rms beauty [among many other natural makeup brands] and offers samples with a purchase. If you spend between $15 and $75 like I did, you receive 3 samples. Of course, if you spend more, you get to try even more things.

I actually didn't know that until after I placed my order and their wonderful employee Terri emailed me to let me know that they would not only include a sample of the "un" cover-up [which I ordered] so that I could try it and return the unused product if the color was wrong, but that I could also choose 2 other products of theirs to sample.

I received the concealer in 11, the lightest color, and received samples of the lip2cheek and the living luminizer. Luckily and surprisingly, the "un" cover-up [that's annoying to type out] did match my freakishly pale skin tone. I really like the texture and that it doesn't look like makeup at all.

While I don't have dark circles, I am very fair so sometimes tiny blue veins can be visible through the skin under my eyes. I patted some on to see what it would do and, somehow, it seemed to brighten up my whole face.

As much as I love it, this is not the product for you if you want a heavy, full-coverage concealer. While it covers well, it is not going to give you the same look that caked on makeup will. The good part is that the ingredients will help your skin become healthier and look better as you use it. Rose-Marie calls her line 'skincare with mineral color' so if you think of it that way, it will help you transition from the days of powdery, pore-clogging makeup.

Next, I tried the lip2cheek color in smile. As an admitted blush addict, I absolutely LOVE it! It is a sheer pink color that looks great and not at all like a traditional blush. It's more pinkish than Benetint and really does look like a natural flush. It also stays on my skin all day, which I totally did not expect. Note: the 'smile' lip2cheek color is the only rms beauty product which contains a synthetic ingredient. rms beauty says on their site that they will continue to reformulate it until they can find an all-natural way to create the color. 

Finally, I was very excited to try out the much-hyped-about living luminizer. It feels very silky and glides easily onto the skin. It looks great on the cheeks, browbone, and down the bridge of the nose. It shows up on the skin as a pearlescent white color and gives a dewy sheen.

All in all, I highly recommend this brand to anyone interested in trying it. I just placed another order for the lip2cheek in Muse [which I read on another blog is similar to the living luminizer only in a more natural color] and samples of the eyeshadow in solar and more of the lip2cheek in promise and modest. I will do another review once I try them!

Find more information about rms beauty at rmsbeauty.com and read about natural makeup and skincare at beautytruth.com. If you decide to order, rms beauty sells their makeup directly from their own site, but I recommend ordering from The Nature of Beauty if you buy the "un" cover-up, as it costs $3 less from them.

Lolita Lempicka L

I posted last month on the Nest Fashion & Beauty board asking for help finding a replacement for the discontinued Stila Creme Bouquet that I had worn since 6th grade. I got some good advice and added a few of the suggestions to my Sephora wish list.

Anyway, one of my birthday gifts last week was Lolita Lempicka L from my husband. I absolutely love this perfume! I expected to hate it because I don't like most perfumes I try but it is absolutely wonderful! It's very feminine in my opinion and is definitely not for everyone. Someone had remarked that it was too sweet and I can definitely see that. I am a big fan of vanilla and cinnamon, though, so it's perfect for me!

In addition to being thrilled at finding something I actually like, I was surprised at how long it lasted. I sprayed it on myself once when I opened it and woke up the next morning to smell it very strongly. It lasted that day until I took a shower.

Probably also expecting me to dislike most of the perfumes on my list, my husband told me to expect more of them for Christmas. Now I'm afraid I will have to return them all because they won't smell as good as this one! I will definitely do more reviews on my blog as I try them.

Everyone has individual likes and dislikes and fragrances certainly smell different on each person but if you are looking for something new, at least try this one in the store. The bottle is so pretty, it's almost worth buying just to have it on your shelf.

As a side note, when I placed an order from Sephora recently, I decided to get a sample of Hanae Mori Butterfly because so many people suggested it. To me, unfortunately, it was unremarkable and the EDT didn't linger very long. A lot of people love it, though, so it's definitely worth a try if you want to try something new.