**UPDATE** Making Cosmetics for Fun or Profit? (8/16/24)

**UPDATE**

After hyping a certain site for years, I have to cut ties. 

I no longer use Making Cosmetics and have not for about 3 years now. I think the last thing I bought from them was some silk protein or something.

The reason I have had to find other suppliers is that M.C. got too pricey and wishy-washy. I could buy something one day in a certain size or quantity then, as soon as the item got popular (maybe), either the price would shoot up or else the minimum quantity would. 

Also, I figured out long ago that I could find similar (quality or ingredients) products elsewhere. A huge example of this is the Repair Vita Oil I once loved so much. When the price shot up on that one, I found something as good (and, in some ways, better). There are several products similar to the Repair Vita Oil, but I think my favorite one is Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Coconut Monoi Luminous Hydration Facial Oil (I can get this at Walmart, Amazon, Target, etc.). Why would I sell an arm and half a leg to buy the M.C. stuff when I can get the Palmer's Oil for under $15?

Also, I think I was just loyal to M.C. and it took me a while to look around at other sources. There are lots of other sources out there, believe me. I found 10 without even looking hard.

The main reason I used M.C. was to be frugal. With that out the door, I can take my pennies elsewhere.

Things for my skin and haircare are luxuries (when I get past the basic hygiene items) and I do not have a luxury budget. So... goodby Making Cosmetics.

WHY THIS POST?

I have blogged here before about a site I occasionally shop from or just use for info. I think this was my very first post about Making Cosmetics. I have only ordered from their site a few times - including for the most recent purchase but I got very my first M.C. product from their Amazon storefront. That was before I knew they had their own site.

Anyway...

That's the Nars looking reddish

Since I have been fussing and ranting these past few weeks about not being able to find a good drugstore foundation with a red undertone in it, I finally decided it was DIY time again. The first M.C. item I purchased was some Wrinkle Blur powder as a substitute for an expensive O.T.C. product that I loved. I can't believe I didn't think of the site from the start of my foundation troubles.

Other than the so-perfect-but-unaffordable Nars, I think I have 4 foundations that I can make work for my skin tone but that would be awesomely perfect if they had that tiny bit of red undertone that the Nars Khartoum does. Well, I am not throwing that stuff out like somebody with more money than sense. If I have to, I will keep wearing a little of my Butter blush underneath the foundation even though it's a real pain to get just right. Right now, foundations all leave me with a nice finish but are just a little bit... off from my natural coloring. One of the best quality foundations makes me look a whole other race. I priced some of those shade-adjusting drops and couldn't even find the colors I needed. That left me in a ditch. I have makeup for days but none of it is absolute perfection.

LOVE this blush for
 cheeks and lips

So... I could use up all my blush to tint my foundation or I could try something else. (My blush is Butter London Cheeky Cream Blush that is not even sold on their site anymore and which I got as a gift from my late sister some years back while visiting Arizona... Yeah. I don't want to use it all up. The blush is more than a product I just don't want to run out of; it represents memories and love and it is also as cute as heck.)

The "something else option" that I figured out is the best way to go. It's also the cheapest way. (Took me forever to get here, didn't it?)

So. I've ordered three items from Making Cosmetics that I can use to customize my foundations to my liking. (I hope.) In the MC category of Colors and Color Blends, this is what I'm going to use:

• Iron Oxide Brown (Liquid) - Makeup Brown Pigment Blend Dispersed in Oil (to deepen the shades that are currently slightly too light).
• Iron Oxide Red (Liquid) - Makeup Brown Pigment Blend Dispersed in Oil (to add to the red tones in some of the items).
• Mica Blackstar Red - Fine Dark Red Lustre (For adding some red to the other products).

I know that I will have to experiment. I figure that I might even end up blending together some of the red colorants with the brown pigment to get a shade I can add to a couple of the foundations. To be as frugal as possible, I only got a teaspoon of each colorant. I love that I could order such a tiny amount. Apparently, from what I've researched (hi, Google), it won't take much for what I need. And if I have to go back for different colors/pigments later, I will stick to my teaspoon quantity. (Too bad brands won't sell foundation by the teaspoon so we could find a good shade without going broke.)

Anyway.

See my plan here? If I have to, I will start just getting the stuff to make my own foundation from scratch...

All told, I spent fourteen dollars to (again, hopefully) try fixing at least fifty dollars worth of makeup. Maybe one day I will try making my own line of foundation. It's totally possible.

THE FOR FUN and/or PROFIT PART

Now, I mainly wrote this post to let other women know about the items available on Making Cosmetics. I have never had a problem with them (except when they discontinued some fragrances I loved) as far as quality or customer service. Also, they have a points reward type system based on dollars spent.

Making Cosmetics has been the only place I get items to DIY it with my makeup but they have potential competition. Here are some other places to check out for ingredients or just products that might be hard to find for some reason:

• Inolex (a "specialty ingredients company") I really need to look this one over.
• Althea (for "getting you K-beauty fix outside of Korea" they ship to the USA and elsewhere) I saw a Water Sleeping Mask in the skincare section and...
• Lucas Meyer Cosmetics - They have a variety of natural products that look interesting.
• PCA Skin's site is "under construction" but I found some PCA stuff here & here. They might be other places. I will check back on the brand site to see what's up.
• Hermo appears to be Malaysian and they have a global store site here. For some of my many Asian sisters.

I am sure there are many more places to find and buy ingredients to make or rig your existing products. I like Making Cosmetics because of the detailed information they provide and their onsite resources. They have a large resource section, formulas for newbies, equipment and kits and, if you are timid or just want to go big and produce stuff for sale, they offer both formulating and consulting services.

If you do decide to play around with some DIY cosmetics, this is another good site for looking up info on ingredients - what they do and how they might react together, etcetera. The most important thing is to do your research, check for allergies and BE CAREFUL. DIY projects mean the work put in is all on you and you have to use your head. I am not a professional at anything other than running my mouth so, again, use your head.

To summarize:

You can make and create your own cosmetics. You can create cosmetics for your own use or you can create cosmetics to sell as a niche brand. Do your research. Find reputable suppliers for ingredients. Ask questions. 

Peace

--Free

UPDATE: The products arrived just after this was scheduled to post so I will be doing a show and tell post asap. (Anybody else bored to tears with this COVID lockdown????)

**REVIEW** Hyaluronic Acid Q & A

Most of us ladies have at least heard of Hyaluronic Acid. It's been the trending anti-aging product for probably the last few years. I only recently started looking for and using products that included H.A. but I  immediately had questions. I found some answers (internet answers, anyway) so I decided to do most of this post in a Q & A format with a link in the "Answer"  to the source:

Q: What exactly is hyaluronic acid?
Answer: "Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is naturally present in the human body. It is found in the highest concentrations in fluids in the eyes and joints. The hyaluronic acid that is used as medicine is extracted from rooster combs or made by bacteria in the laboratory."

Q: What is it used for?
Answer: "People use hyaluronic acid for various joint disorders, urinary tract infections (UTIs), acid reflux, dry eyes, vaginal pain, aging, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses."

Q: How does it work, in general?
Answer: "by acting as a cushion and lubricant in the joints and other tissues. In addition, it might affect the way the body responds to injury."

Q: How does it help specifically with "aging"?
Answer: Is possibly effective for "Aging skin. Some research shows that injecting a specific hyaluronic acid product (Juvéderm Ultra Plus, Allergan) into facial wrinkles can reduce wrinkles for up to one year. Also taking a product containing hyaluronic acid and other ingredients (GliSODin Skin Nutrients Advanced Anti-Aging Formula) by mouth seems to decrease wrinkles and damage from the sun when used for 3 months."

Q: What is the difference in molecular weight? I have found a source for Hyaluronic Acid SLMW  (super low molecular weight) and Hyaluronic Acid MMW (medium molecular weight).
Answer: "The difference of the regular, high-molecular hyaluronic acid (HA) and low-molecular-weight HA is that the low-molecular-weight HA has been split into smaller fragments. Thereby, these smaller fragments can no longer form a gel with water like the large molecules, but they can penetrate the skin much easier and have actually a better anti-irritant and regenerating effect once absorbed by skin. The high molecular form of HA has a better hydrating effect than the low-molecular form of HA."

(Here is a page that really breaks down the differences and what to look for based on your personal needs. It got a bit deep for me and I had to have a friend help me digest the info.) I highly suggest reading the comments as they are very helpful.

I did purchase a tube of hyaluronic "serum" and it was good - not long-lasting, but good. It was pricey though and that's when I went to my DIY source and found some H.A. on the 2 different weights.

The product page informs that mixing this would be tricky as it might clump. The suggestion was to use a bit of glycerin and some kind of mixing apparatus. I used what I had on hand and it worked well enough; I used some of the glycerin that I always keep around to use on my hair and skin I used one of the glass bottles that I use for mixing my vape juices and I happened to have some metal beads used to agitate nail polish and other cosmetic liquids. When you DIY a bunch of stuff to save money, you usually have something from one project on hand to use in another!

I used bottled drinking water for my liquid and because I still had some of the OTC H.A. around, I added what was left in the tube to the batch of DIY stuff and also added a little bit of my regular moisturizing cream. The glass bottles are only frosted and I want to protect the product from light so I wrapped tape around it and keep the bottle in a dark place in the bathroom medicine shelf.

What I found interesting is how different the 2 types of H.A. powder look.

This is the Medium Weight (MWW)

This is the SLMW 

I made sure to mix this up as well as I could. I used some this morning and it felt okay. I don't have any irritation so far. My skin feels hydrated - which it normally does after using my daily moisturizer. All in all, I am happy with this. The H.A. from Making Cosmetics came in 10-gram jars with the SLMW being the more expensive at $17 and the MMW costing $14.30. For me, that is still pricey to think about but I only added the smallest amounts - as you can see here:

I used 3 of these "scoops" for the bottle

These are the beads I use for this and my DIY vape juice and my DIY foundations. They are cheap and handy.

Of course, I am not a medical professional. I am not even licensed to work on the hair, skin, or nails in a salon! So do your own research and before you ever try using DIY products, be careful. I am my own guinea pig here; you be your own and take responsibility. All I can do is share what I have used and how it works for me. Speaking of...

This does work very well for me. I can't give you my long-term results but I can tell you a few things.

1. Without any type of hyaluronic acid, most of my moisturizers last about 6 hours on a dry day.
2. Using a Vitamin C Serum with hyaluronic acid (from a very well-known skincare brand) for at least 3 weeks, it softened my skin and primed it for applying other moisturizers but the moisture only lasts for 9 or maybe 10 hours before I had to reapply something to relieve dryness.
3. Using my DIY serum, my face and neck stayed moisturized from morning to morning. I literally only had to apply the serum once a day. I also discovered that perfumes that I applied to my neck last longer. Now, of course, I apply a bit of the serum to my bosom and wrists!

I want to be fair and give credit to that OTC serum from the well-known brand. I used some of it in my DIY bottle. I also used some of my usual moisturizer, a tiny bit of glycerin, and some purified drinking water.

If anyone else has a source for buying hyaluronic acid, do let me know.

Peace

--Free

**Quick Post** Duping It For Myself

I could have sworn that I posted this a few days back, but according to Blogger,

that's a big nope. So here it is.

Here we are, at the tail end of the saga of my makeup journey. I told you all that I was going to make use of all the foundations I've tried. I used one of my good brain days to practice making dupes. Thanks to the color pigments I picked up at Making Cosmetics, I was able to pretty much dupe the Nars Sheer Glow Khartoum shade that is discontinued (and too expensive).

My very own
"Fars Near Glow" LOL

I got some cheapo lip balm containers and I already had some cheapo empty cosmetic pots that I had been using to blend my own lip gloss colors. There were 50 of those things and I only have 1 pair of lips and about 7 glosses to work with. So.

I managed to dupe the heck out of that $47 Sheer Glow. 40 + 7 dollars, people. For some face paint. Listen, I was sitting there at the table, singing "Sisters are duping it for themselves" and  Aretha is probably going to haunt me for messing up her song.

Since I had been on that adventure of trying to find an OTC foundation that works for me, and since I already had some foundations lying around, I had a lot to work with. Most of my foundations are in the same shade ranges - with a few of them being either slightly too light or too dark. There were 2 that were WAY too light or dark.

For the ones that nearly matched my tone but was lacking some depth, I added the M.C. pigment for my daily use. For the lighter/darker shades, I added a little bit of my face cream and will be using them to contour/highlight. For the shade that was way too light for me, I added a different pigment and will use it on the rare occasions that I wear color on my eyelids. The shade that was way too dark is one that I am using to tone down the other slightly lighter shades.

The blending and mixing are pretty easy. It's messy as all get out but... My tools are simple: the makeup spatulas I told you all about, some toothpicks from the kitchen, and patience. To protect the bathroom floor from getting stained, I put down some of the many, many news flyers that are always lying on my mail pile. I cut up an old t-shirt to wipe off the spatulas and I kept small dishes of soapy water and some alcohol around to keep everything as sterile as I could. As I finish each tube, I am trying to label it with the date on a piece of tape.

It took only about 5 minutes to mix up the first tube's worth of makeup. The best thing of all is I have barely used up any of the teaspoons of the pigments.

Here is me wearing the first batch of what I am calling my Fars Near Glow B.T. (Fake Nars Sheer Glow by Trudy!)

I used the flash to
show every part of my face

Not too shabby, right? And the finish is more what I like because I had a mix of matte, sheer, and dewy textures to work with. The pigment has a little drying effect so everything really balanced out.

Here are the finished batches that I have ready to use in tubes with pump dispensing (also from Making Cosmetics).

So, I managed to do it. Now I just have to work on making more batches and getting them tubed up. I want to do some blush with the red pigment I got. By the way, I am getting most of my red tint in the foundation with the brown pigment, not the red. Weird, huh?

I will be making a little hobby of DIY cosmetics. I want to work on some lip gloss and body butter. I will, of course, keep you guys posted.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Isododecane

This is a cosmetic ingredient that I am using to "thin" out and moisturize some of my makeup:

The item is from Making Cosmetics, the same place I get my Wrinkle Blur from. While the Blur is easy to use, with this product,  I'm kind of experimenting.

Here is the description for Isododecane ("Iso" from here on out). This is straight from the product page:

"Description: Hydrocarbon that is most often used as an emollient and solvent in skin care products. Thanks to its low viscosity and density, it has a high spreadability. Colorless liquid. Water-insoluble, but completely soluble with silicones, hydrocarbons, isoparaffin & mineral spirits. CAS# 31807-55-3. INCI Name: Isododecane."  (my emphasis)

And some more info:

"Properties: Has a weightless feel on skin, enhances spreadability of products, helps prevent evaporation of water from the skin, excellent emollient and can be used as replacement to oils in emulsions. Compatible with silicones for imparting shine, slip, combability for hair care products, conditions hair & skin. Use: Can be added to formulas as is, add to oil phase, use level 2-15%. Storage: Stable when kept in a closed container at a cool & dry place. Application: Mascara, eyeliner, creams, lotions, hair care, conditioners, hairsprays, perfumes." (my emphasis)

What I plan to use it for is what a lot of laymen Cosmetics Kitchenistas seem to use it for. I'm going to be adding minute amounts to my foundations to help them spread better and also with my gel liners to help them not "clump". I also add a bit to the Vanilla-Grapefruit fragrance that I'm so in love with. I noticed that the Iso helps the scent "stay" longer. Maybe that's because of the whole evaporation prevention?

I will definitely not be using this to try getting more mileage out of my old and dried out cosmetics. It's not good to use old cosmetics - eyeliners and shadows, etc - simply because they can cause me skin issues. I won't try to tell you guys what to do with your old products, but I will suggest you be careful of them. I've read of people getting eye infections and having serious skin breakouts from working with their ancient makeup. LOL.

So far, I've had good results.

With my fragrance, I added the smallest amount I could manage. I put one drop into a 4ml vial of the fragrance.  As far as using with my makeup, I have some concealer that I use the Iso with. I will dampen only the very tip of my smallest makeup brush with the Iso, then run the brush across the concealer before applying to my skin. It really does help with diluting the concealer and making it spread better. This works for me because, even when I want more foundation coverage, I never want a heavily applied concealer. Pretty sure this might work for thinning out other creamy cosmetics. Haven't tried that yet.

The one way that I absolutely love using the Iso is when I have over-applied my mascara or get clumps on my lashes. I take a clean mascara wand (you can get these at beauty supply stores), dab on some Iso, then run the wand through your lashes to "clean" them up a bit. It also works to thin out heavy lipsticks. I have a couple of lipstick shades that I like to blend together on the back of my hand before applying to my lips. The Iso makes this easy.

I did have to get used to handling the Iso. It's very, very runny and it only takes a bit to work with. I find that best way to use it is with a clean dropper.

I haven't used the Iso with hair products yet. I'm going to experiment with it though. I know that I want to try thinning out some of the hair gel I use sometimes. What I'm thinking about is the moisture and evaporation factor. Wonder if this would help my hair retain more of the moisture I get from some products? Hmmm....

As you can tell, I'm still playing around with uses for this stuff. If any of you have used it before or have tips for using it, let me know. I'll try to keep you updated from this end.

Of course, there's a bunch of info online about the Pros and Cons of Isododecane. It's not one of the "natural" products, so I get that a lot of people might not like that. For myself, this is one of those cases where I'm going more for control of my beauty products - natural or not.

Peace
--Free

Taking Control of Your (money) Hair & Skincare Products

Everybody is probably tight on money sometimes, but we still want to look and feel as good as we can. I'm a big believer in part of the holistic theory of health: it really is all connected. If you look good, you feel better and if you feel better, you look better. Or maybe that's just me.

Since I know that money is tight for me, and I still do like looking and feeling as good as I can, I really like finding ways to balance all that. One way I've found to save money is to stop buying pricier hair and skincare stuff. I also have been happy for the last few years in getting back to a more natural way of taking care of myself. 

With all that in mind, I want to talk about ways to take better care of ourselves and save money at the same time. I'm too lazy tonight to do anything but a bullet list type of post. Here goes with my rambling list of ways to save money and do right by ourselves in our pursuit of beauty:

Stop buying expensive shampoos and conditioner and lotions just because they promise something good. If, for example, you use a pricey shampoo because it does something great for your hair, why not find out which ingredient causes that? Some of us black women like what proteins to for our hair. We'll pay more for Shampoo X when we could be buying the cheaper Shampoo Y and just adding protein to it.

Making Cosmetics is my go-to for finding base ingredients that brand name items use. I think you guys remember how I went from paying so much for a store-bought "blurring" product because I found the much cheaper base ingredient. That was this product from Making Cosmetics.



Just for kicks, go over and browse this page at their site.

If I wanted, I could probably whip up a liquid version of Garnier's  Second Blur. Once again, I'm lazy. I prefer to just use the M.C. Blur powder under or over my foundation.

Another example of using base products to amp up a cheaper store brand item is to buy Collagen Protein or *** or *** and add it that less expensive product. You could get the same results (at a cheaper cost) of some salon version product. So, why the heck not?

By the way, I hype Making Cosmetics because they are one of the companies out there offering base products that I know who have excellent customer service to go with their quality products.

Perfumes are another feel-good item that can rip a budget right to shreds. I know because I am a fragrance freak. Love, love, love to smell good. In the past few years though I've been substituting oils for brand name scents. Also, I love taking advantage of the Travalo refill from Perfumania. But, better yet, there are places like The Fragrance Shop, where you can get really good imitations of popular perfumes. You can also pick up some nice E.O. blends there, but they tend to be pricey. (And, I notice that, as I've gotten out of my 30s, I need oil-based scents if I want lasting effects of a fragrance. Hormonal changes are a sonofagun!)

Another way to smell wonderful without smelling broke is to do a little research on mixing oils to create nice scents.

Source

Source

• Some general info on making EO perfumes
• Goes with the "Start Making Scents" graphic above
• This EO perfume post goes a little bit deeper
• Scroll down to see categories of EOs in this post
• This is probably the most informative on details

I like checking Pinterest for some of the best charts and info, like this one:

Source

One thing that I still haven't ventured into yet is actually mixing and making my own cosmetics. Well, that's not really true. Anyone who has trouble finding shades in lipsticks and foundations has probably done a little blending and mixing to get what they need. What I'm talking about here though is actually making a product from scratch.

• Mind, Body, Green has some great recipes for makeup (right out of the pantry)
• Not exactly cosmetics with this link, but Wellness Mama is a great info resource
• Make your own aluminum-free deodorant (love the name Pit Paste!)
• This is a gathering of links and recipes
• A charcoal powder/coconut oil eyeliner
• Since I love Pinterest, just go over and go wild

I love the idea of this blush that you can deepen in color...

Check source for more

Making your own B.O. fighter?
More recipes at the Pin page

As far as taking care of your skin and hair, I've adopted the policy of "If I can't safely eat it, why would I want it on my hair or skin?" (Did I do that right?) Seriously, I think it's fine to use some chemically enhanced things to care for our hair and skin, but I just don't want to be lathering myself with layers of chemicals and toxins. I'm starting to wonder if all the years of processing my hair and spraying myself with deodorants and other things didn't help lead to this chronic disease I now have. At any rate, I figure I can stop and do better now. So I'm trying to. I've pretty much stopped using anything but dye on my hair (and that might be over with), and I try to use natural rocks and other forms of deodorant. I'm even brushing my teeth with natural oils and butters.

I'm really curious about ways that other people find to "hack" their health and beauty routines. I spoke with one lady in a store recently and she told me that she replaces fancy foot files for sanding blocks from Lowe's and Home Depot. What are some ways that you all find to save money and deal with your beauty needs?

Yesterday, a woman told me that she refreshes her eye-shadows and other such cosmetics by spraying them with rubbing alcohol. I'd never heard of that before now, but, yep, it's a thing. A serious thing.

Another tip I picked up somewhere online was to add a little Lavender EO to your mascaras. I guess it helps lash health and growth. Who knew? I didn't.

I did know about adding a little bit of oil to the tips of pencil type eyeliners to make them easier to use. Back when I was using them as a teenager, we'd either warm the ends with a cigarette lighter or tap the end in a bit of Crisco or olive oil from the kitchen.

What I need is for you guys to share your little beauty tips and secrets with the rest of us!

Peace
--Free

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24h Wear and My Insane Makeup Drama

I was temporarily insane and in desperate need of foundation when I bought this. Never fear. It's going back to the store, ASAP.



That's Lancome's foundation in the shade of 555 Suede C.

PROS:

• Excellent texture out of the bottle
• Matches my dark skin shade to perfection
• Lasts through the day (and even through the night, if it has to)
• Would probably last a while because a little bit covers well

CONS:

• Price is ridiculous. Outrageous. ($47 at Ulta)
• The finish is too drying when it has set
• The price would cover a weeks' worth of my groceries, including coffee and toiletries
• I had to add some oil to give my face a more natural look.
• The price, the price, the price.

For someone that can afford this (and who wants a very matte finish), this is probably a perfect foundation. I had buyer's remorse even as I got my cardholder discount (paid around $30 instead of the nearly $50 tag). 

So why did I get this in the first place? Typical dilemma. I was feeling blah on my way to a meeting about job prospects. The sun was out in full force (which, as you know, will highlight both the best and worse of your facial features), and I was almost out of my favorite foundation. Oh, and, I have to add this: my favorite and most perfect (and most affordable ever) foundation is no longer available anywhere except for on Ebay. Ugh.

This right here is what I have been wearing for around 5 or more years:

It matches my skin tone (and even has the slight read under shading I love). And it's only ever cost me $10 at the most. Sometimes, I've gotten it for $8.99 online. One tube would last me 6 months, even if I was using it every day (which I don't usually do). ~sigh~

I tried using a similar product from the same Black Radiance brand. 

The shade is also "Ebony", but I don't know why the two shades are so completely different. This is about a shade and a half darker than the other "Ebony". The texture is also much thicker (and heavier). I guess it's supposed to be for heavier coverage. Whatever the reason, it doesn't work for me. 

I'm not knocking Lancome. Matter of fact, I'm happy that a major brand bothered to have a shade in a darker color. Real happy. I just wish I didn't have to see that price tag! LOL

If  you compare all three, subtle differences are enough

Before I even headed into Ulta, I tracked down every other possibility of shades and brands online. Imagine my shock when I realized SheaMoisture offers a foundation in shades a lot of women could love...

I see you down there, Madidi Mocha

I've badmouthed SheaMoisture before for their over-hyped/over-priced hair products. Never thought I'd even consider buying anything again from that brand. That makeup is the bombtastic diggity though. Unfortunately, the Anchorage Ulta doesn't carry it. I could order it online and return it to my local Ulta (which is what I am considering when I return the Lancome, pronto), but buying a foundation online is tricky when you've never used it before. 

My niece turned me on to another online brand that looks promising. It's called BH Cosmetics. Looks very interesting (especially those prices!).

Right now, the BH foundation is $4.50 (reg $9.00).

Once again, there's that problem of trying to get the right shade... This brings me to another issue with makeup companies:

Why on earth don't these brands offer realistic shade charts? I'm sure that women of every shade and hue gets frustrated by trying to match one brand to another. I did find this one site called Foundation Matrix that helps with that. 

Isn't that a beautiful thing?
I need that shade 4th from the left

The only thing is, because there are so many brands and shades, you might not find yours in the mix. I give them big props for even attempting to keep their database current.

Bottom line, it is just getting too hard to obtain decent basic makeup at affordable prices. My next step is going to be learning how to make my own. Pinterest has some interesting information on that.

                        

(You can get almost everything you need from Making Cosmetics.)

In the meantime, the hunt is still on for a foundation that I don't have to trek back to the store with for my refund :-(

Peace

--Free

UPDATE: Just a couple hours after writing this post, I made up my mind to get back to Ulta for my refund (as soon as this snow lets up). With the $30-something that I will be getting credited back to my bank, I found all this on BH Cosmetics for about the same price. That's FIVE products (2 foundations) for less than the price of a single high brand - including the shipping to Alaska. Take that, you other brands...

Product Description	Quantity	Ext. Price
BH Liquid Foundation: Deep Espresso	1	$4.50
Studio Pro Perfecting Concealer: Dark	1	$5.50
BH Liquid Eyeliner: Black	1	$4.00
Forever Nude Aqua Gloss: Chai Latte	1	$5.50
BH Liquid Foundation: Deep Ebony	1	$4.50
Subtotal:		$24.00

Notice that I got TWO of the foundations (to be sure of shades). Even if I have to return this stuff, it's going to be worth it to find what works for me. I will surely be back to do reviews on the products once they get here.

**REVIEW** Making Cosmetics

Because I prefer keeping my beauty products as natural as possible, I like scouring the Internet for affordable places to shop. I use lots of oils and butters for my skin and hair, and I like to find ingredients that give me options with my makeup.

Amazon is great for finding things that aren't available locally. I was looking for an alternative to brand name - and brand priced - "blurring" and smoothing products  (think Garnier's 5 Sec Blur and Maybelline's Pore Eraser). What I found was a cheaper and more effective product:

Price = around 6 bucks + s/h for 1.0oz
Price for 5 Sec Blur = around 17 dollars for 1.0oz (here in Alaska, but I've heard it's about $15 in Lower 48)

I mentioned Wrinkle Blur in a post from last summer. When I fell in love with that product, I was curous about where it originated. I'm glad I stumbled upon the site because I am a regular customer now.

I'll just go ahead and make a list of all the things I like about Making Cosmetics:

• M.C. lists detailed information about every one of their products, including Description; CAS #; INCI Name; Properties (of the product); Use (ex: iin DIY formulas); Applications; Documents (recipes, Cert. of Analysis, and even more detailed info, such as Safety Data ); and then they list some commercial items that the item resembles or shares usage with.
• Aside from all that information, they even provide the Harmonized Tariff Code for the item (in case of shipping). Anyone working in freight or supply chain logisitics will appreciate the heck out of that.
• The site has a lot of resources for DIY cosmetic kitchenistas. You can find answers to common questions about making your own cosmetics, troubleshoot formulating issues. There is a Video Library and a formulating service, in case you are skittish or just want to have someone else do the mixing.
• For those of you who really want to put together your own products, you can find the recipes for shampoos and conditioners, face powders, shower gels, lotions, balms, creams for different skin types, and men products.  I could swear that, at one time, there was a section for products aimed at the "ethnic" skin and hair care market. 
• If you aren't in full DIY mode, but still want some control over your beauty products, M.C. has complete kits (for lipsticks, eyeshadows, hair masks, etc.) If you are seriously DIY, there's everything from beakers to microbial test kits.  For someone just approaching the idea of DIY beauty and skin care, there are books on basics and advanced topics.
• Prices are outstanding. I've ordered oils and powders and I've always been able to choose a size to fit my meager budget. 
• The customer service is top notch. I have never had a problem with anything, but I did screw up one of my orders. I contacted M.C. and they fixed my mistake pronto.
• If you create an account, you earn points redeemable for gift certificates that can be used to purchase M.C. products on site
• You have alternatives to just paying for expensive, OTC products that skimpy on the main ingredient and often have a ton of additives. Also, they sell quite a few things in bulk sizes. For example, I got the the M.C."Blur" from Amazon in April of last year. After using some at least twice a week (sometimes every day even, I still have 2/3 left. The store brand item goes much faster. At just about 3 times the price...
•  My shipments have always come very quickly and protected very well. A HUGE plus for me is that M.C. doesn't try to gouge Alaska customers with crazy S&H charges. Matter of fact, they don't even charge for "handling" on domestic orders.

In my opinion, I think that more people ought to be flocking to sites like Making Cosmetics. I hear so many people of different groups who aren't always satisfied with brand products. Think I'm lying? How many times have you heard someone saying something about products like...

• "I can never find a (foundation, lipstick, eyeshadow, blush, etc.) that (I like, is in my shade, lasts long enough, doesn't break me out, etc.)"
• "My hair is too (thin, thick, nappy, curly, straight, dry, oily, etc) for most shampoos and/or conditioners."
• "This is my favorite (lipstick, mascara, etc.) but it's just too expensive and doesn't last long enough."
• "I'd like something without any/less (fragrance, chemicals,etc.)"

Then there are just those people who have researched products and know what works on their hair or skin, but stuggle to find OTC products with those things included. I experience this a lot when it comes to my natural hair. I hear all about certain ingredients that are good for my 4b/4c dry and breakage-prone hair. The problem is finding products that contain the things I need without the bad stuff - and for an affordable price.

So there are a lot of reasons that more of us should be taking control of which ingredients we use in our beauty routine.  

I've learned a few things ever since I started going more "natural" and DIY with my skin and hair care. One thing is that consumers can save a lot of money by finding other resources. When I buy something like, for example, a "blurring" product at the store, I'm mostly paying more for marketing than I am for ingredients and formulation.  Another thing is that, I love having control over what I'm using on my hair and skin. There are so many times I've bought brand products - mainly for my hair - without understanding all the ingredients. It's nice that I have some choices with what I use. I can either keep fully natural (or, at least, non-toxic) or I can control the ingredients list.

Since I've been using basic products or just mixing up my own instead of giving my money to brand name companies, my life is the reverse of this:

Now, I'm not the most talented at DIY projects (my niece, +Gabrielle B owns that honor), but I can figure out how to take care of my skin, hair and beauty needs without major mishaps. Making Cosmetics is a huge benefit to people like me.  Go check them out.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: Nope, this is NOT a sponsored post. I received nothing from Amazon or Making Cosmetics for sharing my opinion. This was just one of those times when I had to share a good thing with the rest of you.

**REVIEW** Organic Jojoba Oil

Sometime in the next day or so, I'm going to be doing a post just on Making Cosmetics. For now, I wanted to share my newest oil from them:

That is organic Jojoba Oil (which is really a liquid wax). For the 4.2oz bottle, the price is $10.90 (+ s&h) if you order it from Making Cosmetics, or $12.00 (+ s&h) from Amazon (even Prime).

From Making Cosmetics product information page:

Description: Organic pure liquid wax (not an oil as such) derived from the seeds of a plant (simmondsia chinensis) growing in the Sonora desert in the USA, composed of different liquid wax esters similar to human sebaceous, based on fatty acids & fatty alcohols (no triglycerides), cold-pressed, insoluble in water. Clear oily tan liquid, no or faint odor. 

INCI Name: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil 

Properties: Precious moisturizer and emollient. Prevents transdermal water loss and retains moisture. Good lubricant without leaving a greasy film on the skin as it penetrates into the skin. Regular application can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

I've heard lots about Jojoba Oil being the closest to human sebum, but I know that some people dispute that. All I really care about is whether or not the oil will be something safe for my skin and hair. My skin already love is and I wish I could afford gallons of the stuff.

As soon as I put the oil on my hands (to test it), I noticed how soft and supple they felt. Immediately. I headed over to Google some information and the first benefit of Jojoba that I saw was for softening the skin. Nice. I'm very picky about what I use on my skin and I love anything that moisturizes and softens.

There are lots of  tips and some great info here for using Jojoba Oil.

Another plus to using Jojoba is that, while it is a moisturizing conditioning agent, it's supposed to also be great for acne and oily skin.

As for use on the scalp and hair, Jojoba Oil is supposed to be very nourishing without creating a lot of buildup. I refer to a couple of wonderful sites for information about natural hair - Naturally Curly and Curly Nikki - they both share some info about using jojoba (and other oils) for the care and feeding of natural curls. Check the sites often for good stuff all the time.

Right now, I am flat-ironing my hair. I need something to moisturize my scalp and shine my hair. The Jojoba Oil sure seems to be working. When I wear my hair straightened, the one thing that concerns me is not drying it out and not having a greasy feel. So far, so good.

There's no way to show you how my skin feels because of the oil, but I wanted to show how non-greasy it is once applied and rubbed in.

I hope that the photos show how absorbed the oil is. You almost can't tell, even in person, that there is oil on (rubbed in) my wrist. You can feel the difference though.

Oil on wrist
Clear and very thin texture

Oil rubbed in

No oil on this wrist

Did you notice how "runny" the oil is? It has a very. very thin texture. That's nice for getting a lot of use out of a small amount, but be careul with applying so you don't have a spill!

As far as I can tell, there is no noticeable smell to the oil. I have a cold, but I can still smell the neem oil I use! The label indicates that there is "no or faint odor".

Some other ways to use Jojoba Oil:

• To moisturize and treat dry feet (This is my first night using it for this, but my feet - which are not as bad as usual, thanks to a pedicure a month ago - soaked this oil right up. The difference in the Jojoba and other oils I've used on my feet is that this didn't take a lot and it soaked into even the driest parts.)
• As a lip balm (On one of the links I provided above, there's a recipe for a beeswax/jojoba balm. I just put the oil directly on my lips. Feels good, but I should do a lip scrub and try again.)
• For the ends of the hair (I applied some to the very tips of my hair and will keep doing that every night to see if it helps keep my ends from splitting so much.)
• As a makeup remover (I'm not trying to waste my precious jojoba to use for this. I plan to continue using my other oils for this and then moisturize with the jojoba.)

One thing I will suggest is that you get a dropper applicator to use when applying the oil to your scalp. That makes it easier to direct the oil where you want it. Try separating your hair into 4 sections, then putting a couple or three drops onto the scalp in each section. You can massage with your fingertips to spread the oil around without wasting any. This is going to be a nightly thing for me - especially when I am using the flatiron.

There are tons of places where you can get Jojoba Oil (I'm capping it because it's the subject of this post!) but, when it comes to oils and DIY beauty staples, I prefer getting mine from Making Cosmetics - who also have a presence on Amazon with some of their products. Like I said, I will talk more about that company in an upcoming post.


















Stay tuned for updates as I find more ways to use this...

Peace
--Free