Spring Skin Care Regime: Jane Iredale's PurePressed® Base Mineral Foundation and Sun Screens

I've got my winter regime down:  I discovered that using cleansing oils and Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer for day and Josie Maran 100% argan oil at night seemed to control my skin's oil production.  No need to blot throughout the day.  I was so pleased with the results that I've decided to continue it.  Realizing that some liquid foundations can make oily skin look oilier in warmer weather, especially those that provide more coverage, I turned to my powder foundations.  Obvious, right?  Well, it took me a while...
 My current fave is Jane Iredale's PurePressed^® Base Mineral Foundation.  I bought my compact at a resort four years ago after discovering that I'd forgotten to pack face powder.  Back then the box and description didn't contain the word "foundation," so I didn't realize that's what it was.  I thought it was just powder that matched my skin tone perfectly.  It's all scratched up from rattling around in my handbag without its velveteen pouch for all that time! Too bad because it's refillable and I definitely plan to refill.

 

Photo from Jane Iredale.com

Here's my old compact - the color is Butternut.

 

It is sheer, it doesn't look cakey that is, even immediately after application.  It lived up its claim to act as a concealer - I simply dabbed a bit more over the areas in need.  I was really surprised that it covered the dark spots around my eyes even better than the concealers I've been using, though I still need to use a corrector to cover under eye circles.  No oily spots appeared around my nose around lunchtime (the first place oil appears).  I understand that you have to buff on most mineral foundations and this one comes with a round sponge, but I just dabbed it on with a fluffy foundation brush. It  wore for eight hours. It claims to be water resistant for up to 40 minutes, which I can't verify, but we'll see how it does when it gets really muggy and I begin to "glow" on my way to work!

 

You can purchase the full range of colors, from very light to dark, at Jane Iredale online.  Its color selection is meticulous:  it's broken down into three ranges of Neutral, Warm, and Cool, with light to darker shades included in each one.  (I wear Butternut in the Warm range.)  Nordstrom carries the light to medium colors but doesn't specify which range they come from. 

 

 PurePressed® Base Mineral Foundation also provides broad spectrum SPF 20 and UVA P++  protection (moderate UVA protection).  The Jane Iredale site provides this list of ingredients:

 

Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 14%, Zinc Oxide 3%. Ingredients: Mica, Boron Nitride, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Plankton Extract, Algae Extract, Pinus Strobus (Pine) Bark Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide Greens.

 

I'm fine with this level of sun protection since the Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer I apply under my foundation is SPF 40.  I don't spend a lot of time in the sun, but get some exposure during my daily commute.  After dark spots appeared around my eyes a year or so ago I've been more diligent in my use of sunscreen.  I dab the Iredale powder over the spots if not over my entire face before I leave the office in the evening.   

 

The recently released Australian sunscreen study confirmed that those "white people," to use the New York Times' term, under the age of 55 who "diligently use [SPF15] sunscreen every day can slow or even prevent for a time the development of wrinkles and sagging skin," but was inconclusive about the sun's affects on darker skin, because none were tested.  American doctors interviewed in follow up said that results for darker skin were likely to be the same though the sun's effects take longer to become apparent. 

 

There are other reasons to use sunscreen besides as defense against photo aging:  it is critical in the prevention of skin cancer, which people of color also get. The products I'm testing in an attempt to fade the dark spots around my eyes also advise using sunscreen because the tested areas become even more sun sensitive. 

 

Pink Sith has posted loads of very useful links about sunscreens in a review of Supergoop! SPF 50 Antioxidant-Infused Sunscreen Mist with Vitamin C.  I don't know about you, but I have found the subject of sunscreens confusing because there are so many kinds - some stable some not, some physical some chemical - which is which?  I only recently learned that sunscreens can deteriorate and/or expire.   Expiration dates are printed on the containers.  Check the dates before you buy.

 

Every spring Sephora sells a Sunsafety Kit containing travel-sized sunscreen products (and a bronzer or two) from a variety of companies.  This year's kit included Shiseido, Clarins, Peter Thomas Roth, Tarte, Josie Maran and several others.  I was really pleased that it also included a hand lotion from L'Occitane.  I always forget my hands and décolletage.  The kit sold out immediately this year, but they released a second round last year so keep your eyes open.  Most of the products contain chemical sunscreens - if you have no concerns about them, the kit's a great value and opportunity to try different products. 

What's your spring and summer skincare regime?  How do you fight the "oilies?"  I know I'll have to make adjustments when it get's muggy here!  What's your favorite sunscreen?

 

Vogue Knitting Live 2013 and Some Makeup

 

 

 

View from the 26^th floor Marriot Marquis in Times Square.  I could barely approach the window!

Thank goodness the snow arrived this week instead of last when I was in New York.   I went there primarily to attend Vogue Knitting  Live (VKL) at the Marriot Marquis, and while I would never have had to have left the hotel for VKL events, I wouldn’t have visited the Fashion District or shopped for makeup.  To get right to the point, VKL New York was a bit of a disappointment this year.  I arrived at my hotel about noon on Friday and went straight to the yarn market only ot find that it was a zoo already.  The usual complement of vendors were there, crammed into small spaces on two floors.  I had to fight my way into the Habu booth.  I was interested in finding some mercerized cotton yarn and any kind of Habu, but everything looked a big blur of sock and novelty yarn.  For the first time ever, I was faced with yarn and bought nothing. I was tempted this Habu Cotton Gima:

 

 

But I decided to just take a photo and order later if I decide what to make out of it.

I took one class on knitting peblums.  Granted, I learned something new, but I could  have done the same by reading instructions in a book or finding them on the Internet.  A class should have value added not readily translated into written instructions, in my opinion.  The instructor did have an interesting story about her work with Ralph Lauren, but it would have been even more itneresting if she had had a garment or two of her own design to show us and if she had shared more of her experiences as a knitwear designer.  The Vogue fashion show, so inspiring last year, was full of pedestrian designs and didn’t live up the Vogue name.  While the Marriott Marquis was comfortable hotel, the Hyatt, where it was held last year, was a better venue for Vogue Knitting Live.

This is not to discourage attendance to VKL generally.  I realize that these events are dependent upon hotel availability and the instructors the organizers are able to recruit; the Chicago class roster looked much more interesting for instance.  Also, there were a couple of three-day long design classes that looked interesting, but that I couldn't take because I could only stay in New York for two days. 

That said, it was good to be around knitters and my roomie, Diane.  We talked about knitting, design, bounced ideas off of each other, and tooled around the Fashion District looking for beads for her class, notions at M & J Trimming, and got a makeover for her at the Meatpacking District Sephora.  It was also great to see Shirley Paden, master knitter and designer.  Shirley, by the way, will be back in DC in February to teach her day-long design class and finishing class at Looped Yarn Works near Dupont Circle in DC, February 15-17.  I highly recommend it.  You can read my review here.

I also got to visit with my buddy Dustin Lujan at Saks.  Dustin works for Dolce and Gabbana Beauty now and gave me a beautiful makeover.  Here are some of the things I got:

 

I’ll write a full review in other posts, after I’ve had a chance to take decent photos, but will say that the taupes in the quad are a good match for my skin tone, which is unusual.  Most taupes just look like a blot of gray on my eyelids, but these look like a natural enhancement – i.e. actual shadows.  The green eyeliner works surprising well with the taupes, giving them a different look.  The concealer is the best I've used, and as others have said, the Passion Duo lipstick is luscious. 

Naomi Yasuda, celebrity manicurist and creator of Barneys Lady Gaga Nail Collection, was giving free D&G manicures that day.  Many of her nail designs are over the top for me, but she gave me a pretty lace and crystal manicure, which I will remove with great reluctance.

 

the crystals are not as milky as they appear in the photo.

 

I visited several Sephoras (they all seem to have different stuff).  The Times Square store had nail stations stocked with a variety of polishes and removers where customers can try on different looks.  I wish the Sephoras here had those. The stations were a mess thus no photos.  The stores in Time Square were just as crowded as the Square itself; Sephora did not seem to be sufficiently staffed to keep things in order.  The Soho store was just as crowded, but clean; had no nail bars, but they did have Edward Bess.  I wanted to look at his new eye shadow quads in person after seeing them all over the Net.  Given that eyeshadows look different on the eyelid than on the back of one’s hand, I should have tried them on, but they looked dupable out of my own stash, so I passed on them. 

 

The Meatpacking District Sephora was very elegant, which is not a characteristic that comes to my mind when I think of Sephora.  I should have taken photos, but I got totally caught up Diane’s makeover, then by actually looking around.  The store was bright enough to properly show the products, but not starkly bright like other Sephoras.  The walls were dark and potted orchids were scattered about.  Applicators and cleansers discretely placed around displays - so discrete they were almost invisible.  There were no cashiers; each sales assistant had an iPhone equipped with a price scanner and a credit card swiper.  Like the other stores, they carried Dolce and Gabbana and Giorgio Armani (surprise! I didn’t know Sephora carried Armani cosmetics).  Diane, who is not a makeup junkie, needed some basic products that she can apply easily and quickly with little fuss.   A sales assistant listened carefully to our requests and explanations, then sat her down at one of several clean and neat, mirrored stations and brought out some products out for us to consider. Here's what she got:

 

 

 

From top left:  Marula Facial Oil; Hourglass Illume Creme-to-Powder Bronzer Duo; Bite Lipstick; Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment; Makeup Forever eye pencil; Anastacia tinted brow gel; Dr. Jart+ Waterfuse Smart Gel (BB Cream)

 

The sales assistant was very good.  As Diane commented, she really heard what we said, and nailed suitable colors for Diane at the first go.  We were really impressed.  I enjoyed helping Diane navigate products, decide what she really wanted and would use, and make recommendations.  Now I want to shop for my other friends! 

I bought a couple of things there for myself too, and at Inglot, which I will review later. 

I did not see my DC knitting pals; I know that some stayed in Washington for Inauguration events.  Did you go to Vogue Knitting Live?  What did you think?