Clinique Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup

When I recently found out that Revlon had reformulated their Colorstay Combination/Oily foundation, I pretty much resigned myself to the idea of a life without foundation. It's not that I dread wearing foundation so much (though I'm not a huge fan), but everything I've tried apart from the old formulations of Almay TLC and Colorstay has broken me out. At least up until I made my latest discovery: Clinique Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup.

When I was directed to the Clinique makeup counter at my latest trip to Dillard's, I just let it happen. Normally, I avoid the pushy sales people and browse on my own, but on this particular day I was feeling desperate. I thought I was on the hunt for a foundation that didn't exist. No cycoplentasiloxane, oil or too many silicones... a very tall order in the world of base makeup.

However, the Clinique lady was very attune to my needs and assured me that she had something I'd like. She whipped out a bottle of the Stay-Matte foundation, did a few swatches and in the end, I was completely sold. I normally would take home a tester but like I said, I was desperate so I just went ahead and got a bottle.

After all is said and done, I am so glad I bought this. It has a fabulous texture (not quite as heavy as the old Revlon Colorstay, thankfully) and it stays put all day long. Sure, as with any foundation you may have to blot or powder here and there, but nothing worth complaining about. Also, at $23 Clinique Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup is at the low end of the high end foundation price spectrum.

It's definitely a better match to my face than my forearm.

My only recommendation with this product is that you check your cheek swatch outside before purchasing. Often times, the lighting in department stores can skew the colors of a foundation and you end up with something that's too orange or pink. But that's about it.

If you have sensitive skin like me, this could be the foundation you've been looking for. Buy yourself a bottle here or here.

Have you tried Clinique Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup? What do you think?

Weekend Ramblings: Weleda Salt Toothpaste

I'll admit that when I think of beauty products, toothpaste is not the first thing that comes to mind. However, when I think of unique products I own that are worth discussing, Weleda's Salt Toothpaste definitely stands out. It's a unique blend of salt, peppermint oil and other botanicals that cleans teeth like nobody's business.

To answer some questions you probably have: yes, it tastes salty and yes, it's shocking at first (but quickly addictive). Actually, since I've started using Weleda's Salt Toothpaste, mainstream toothpastes containing artificial sweeteners taste sickly sweet. Also, the clean you get with Crest or Colgate doesn't really compare to this. The salt and the baking soda provide a little more grit for toothbrush scrubbing, making teeth feel cleaner in the end (but it's still gentle on enamel, in case you're wondering).

At $8, I'm definitely at the very tippy-top of my toothpaste budget with this one, but I don't mind so much. Next time around, I think I'll try DIYing with one of these toothpaste recipes, but for now, I'm perfectly content with this Weleda find.

Have you tried this toothpaste? Loved it? Hated it?

The Double Cleanse with Purpose and Yes to Cucumbers

I've never been a huge proponent of the double cleanse. Until this point, I thought that if your cleansing product of choice wasn't removing makeup, dirt and oil all by its lonesome, then you needed something new. But lately, I've realized that some makeup removal processes just require the extra oomph of something greasy before the foaming agents can do their tricks.

All of this being said, can I please introduce you to my latest cleansing duo? Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash and Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Gentle Milk Cleanser. These two are a match made in heaven.

When I double cleanse, I like to start out with the milk cleanser, which acts as my makeup remover. I take one pump and massage it around my face for about a minute and it removes almost all of my foundation and mascara. The Soothing Gentle Milk Cleanser rinses clean too, so you could technically stop after this first step. I don't do this, though, because my skin doesn't typically agree with moisturizing cleansers alone, which brings me to the next step.

After removing the majority of my makeup with the Yes to Cucumbers cleanser, I go in with a dime-sized amount of Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash to remove remaining traces of makeup and really deep clean (but not strip) my skin. It's pretty refreshing and very effective.

Before cleansing

After cleansing (only a teeeensy bit of eyeliner left)

So, now that I've divulged my latest makeup removal secrets, I'd love to hear how you take off your face in the comments! Are you a double cleanser as well or do you rely on one product only?