The Ever Famous.. URBAN DECAY NAKED PALETTE

There is not much more that I can say about this wonderful palette that thousands of other bloggers or gurus have not already said. This palette is AMAZING period.

The reason for my post is that believe it or not ... there are people out there who still do not know about it. Just this weekend at a girlfriends house, she saw the palette and loved it. So I wanted to write this post for all my gals out there who still have not meet the ever famous.. URBAN DECAY NAKED PALETTE.

This will be the best $ 44.00 you will spend in your life. Now in addition to getting 12 of the creamiest most pigmented eyeshadows around, you will get their double sided 24/7 eyeliner in brown and black. ALSO you get a mini urban decay primer potion which is a great way to get to know the wonders of using an eye primer.

This has been my go to palette for the past month and it still looks as good as when I got it. We are talking some serious pigment my friends.. a little goes a long way ! and they all blend so beautifully together making it easy for even beginners to dive right in and start playing !

This palette will be your go to neutral palette. It is perfect for taking it from day into night with just a few strokes of the brush.

Trust me... you will love it !

Until next time - K

EVE PEARL SALE ALERT !! SALE ALERT !!

EVE PEARL BLACK FRIDAY SALE !!

With all the makeup lines around I bet it's confusing what to colors to choose, what primer to use etc etc etc.. Well Eve Pearl has made it easy for us, whether you are fair, light, medium, tan, dark or deep.. there is a foundation, magic salmon concealer ( it's called magic for good reason ), powder just for you. Each foundation shade comes with a lighter and darker shade so you can customize your foundation anytime of the year. Let's not forget her creamy lipsticks and eye shadows.

Did I mention that her products are amazing ! They are so easy to apply and get that airbrush finish ( without the airbrush ) we are all looking for.

Check out her youtube video for details on the most amazing sale !!

If you could only try one thing.. check out her Salmon Concealer for under eyes.. the most amazing, creamy concealer around. In my opinion much better than my old favorite Bobbi Brown ( and you all know how good that one is ) It's worth ever cent and with this sale you can by one for you and one for your mom ( or is that just me who buy my mom makeup lol )

Happy Thanksgiving everyone !! Happy Shopping

Eve Pearl Black Friday Sale

Until next time- K

New Website !!

I am happy to announce my website is up and running..

www.makeupbykareng.com

Follow the link to check it out !!

MAKEUP BY KAREN G.


Until Next Time- K

Makeup by Karen G.

On August 28th, 2010 I married my best friend... ( Well call him Mr. G.)
We got married on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Southern California surrounded by family and friends. It was just amazing.

I will share with you that in addition to getting married that day.. I was also my own makeup artist.Hair was done by Stephanie Pino.

Now I can tell you from personal experience that doing my own makeup was my best and worst idea. It was great because I was able to achieve the look I wanted BUT it was also more stressful that what I thought it would be. Finding a quiet corner to do my makeup in the midst of the madness was almost impossible to find. Now I understand why everyone says to have someone do your makeup.. not only because of the final outcome but because it's one less thing you have to worry about on this day.

On this day your only role should be that of BRIDE nothing else. Trust me with that alone you will have your hands full.

I am excited to be able to apply everything I have learned from my own wedding to my clients. It's a whole new perspective now.. one that I will carry with me for a lifetime.

Until next time- K

Oily Skin ? Want to try something new.. Check this out !

Hello Ladies !

I just stumbled upon a post asking advice to clean oily skin.
I made the following comment and I thought I would share with all of you. I suggested a method of cleansing called the OIL CLEANSING METHOD. The concept behind it is using oils to cleanse your skin. Now you might be saying " what ! Put oil on my skin are you nuts ! " Well let me tell you , Oil attracts Oil so instead of making you oily it will actually help you to control your oily skin by not stripping your face and causing it to over produce sebum. I really hope you try this, I have been using this method for the past year and I have never been happier with my skin.

Here is the comment :

If you want to try something different that is great for oily skin and not expensive I have something for you. It's called the OIL CLEANSING METHOD. It's a combination of grapeseed oil and castor oil ( start with a 50/50 blend ) this will not only help with your oily skin but leave your skin supple and black head free. Let me explain. Oil attracts Oil so while the oil attracts excess oil it will not strip your face so you don't have to worry about over production of sebum
( which is what most cleansers actually do ) First make your blend it a small bottle so you always have it on hand, then use about a quarter size and rub all over your face in circular motions. if you wear makeup this will melt it all off. Then get a washcloth and run it under warm water ( the warmer the better ) then gently wipe off your face. That's it! You will not be oily once bit.. it's my secret weapon it has yet to fail me.. Try it and let me know what you think !!
( you can get castor oil and grapeseed oil at your super market )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ps: this will also work fantastic for people with dry skin. The only difference is to use less castor oil. Try 80% grapeseed and 20% castor oil. Or you can even use 100% grapeseed oil .. it works just as well.

Let me know if you have any questions !

Until next time - K

What is Co-Washing.. Learn about it here.

A few days ago I put up a post about Hair Cleansing Creams and introducing you to this method of cleansing your hair.

Read more about it here:
http://www.luuux.com/health-beauty/what-are-hair-cleansing-conditioners-...

Now there was a great question put on the post asking if these hair creams were available at the drugstore . Unfortunately at this time most ( if not all ) cleansing creams are available either online or at Sally Beauty Supply. So if you are unable to get either then I have an alternative for you. That is to co-wash with conditioners you can find at your drugstore.

Me personally did not have much success with the conditioners you purchase at the store. This does not mean it does not work just that my super fine hair likes the one at Sally's instead.

The conditioners recommended for co-washing will never run more than 2-3 dollars per bottle so you really have nothing to lose but everything to gain checking out this new method of cleansing.

So Here is a video and a blog for you to check out and learn more about co-washing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jgBiwBmtpQ

http://www.glamourandlove.com/2009/06/what-is-co-washing.html

Let me know if you have any questions

Until next time - K

The Basics: Makeup Brushes

Makeup Brushes are one of the most important things when it comes to makeup. A good brush can help you to achieve that beautiful well polished look we all strive for, while a bad brush can waste your product and leave you blotchy and not very happy.

Two of the most frequent questions I see on boards are : What are the must have makeup brushes and Where can I get brushes that are good quality but without breaking the bank ?

Well let me start with my own personal brush collection. What do I have ? I have it all, my collection is not made up from one brand or one type. I have everything from high end to low end, real hair to synthetic. I have done a lot of research and tried lots of brushes to arm what I would call a great PERSONAL brush arsenal ;-) and let me tell you.. I use them ALL !

When I first started out I bought the best ( because I didn't know any better ) and although I do not regret my purchase I now know that you do not need to spend $ 50.00 for 1 brush because there are plenty of good brushes that cost less and give you the same results.

I do believe in investing in a good set of brushes that has brushes that you will actually use. This is a good foundation which to build on.

My suggestion for this set is the SIGMA Face and Eyes Kit.
You get 6 of the most used brushes ever.

Large Powder, Duo Fibre ( Stippling Brush ), Pencil, Eye Shadow Shader, Tapered Blending and Buffer ( Kubuki ) brush.

For $54.00 ( less than 10 bucks a brush ) you can't go wrong ! For the regular gal this is set has everything you should ever need and nothing that you don't. Sigma brushes are compared to MAC brushes but for much much less and I agree. I wish Sigma would of been around 15 years ago when I bought my first eye brush at MAC for almost $ 20.00 ( for what it's worth I still have that MAC brush as it's still good as new )

http://www.sigmabeauty.com/product_p/fek001.htm

important note: To this set you will need to get a blush brush which you can get from Coastal Scents, ELF, Eco tools, MAC, or even Sigma. A good one that will work on mostly everyone is Sonia Kashuk Angled Contour Blush and Blush Brush or Eco Tools Blush Brush. If you contour you may need contour brush which can also be used for blush. I suggest the Sonia Kashuk Angled Contour Blush ( Target )

Now after you have your everyday brushes on hand you can get single brushes for your specific needs.

I mentioned before that I have a combination of Natural and Synthetic brushes, you might ask yourself why you need both. I will keep this simple and say that for emollient based products ( cream liners, cream shadows, paints etc ) you do not want to use natural brushes because you need something firmer but also because you can ruin them. That's when you use a synthetic brush. My favorite brush is my MAC 252 large shader brush and my MAC 242 Shader Brush which is smaller that the 252 for more precise placement.

I bought my 252 brush almost 15 years ago and it's still good as new. Although there are similar brushes I have not seen actual dupes so for this brush I would say buy the original.

Now for almost everything else there are brushes that have a low cost brother. This comes in handy when you want to have more that one eyeshadow brush but you don't want to spend $10.00 for each one ( for your travel set, work set etc .. yes I actually have a work brush set ) You can look to these companies for good brushes that although they will not last as long as a high end brush.. they will last you long enough to pay for itself.
Those companies are:
Coastal Scents
ELF ( eyes, lips, face )
Crown Brushes ( great brushes )
Sonia Kashuk *
Eco Tools **

* Sonia Kashuk I consider mid level brushes .. you have to get her " eyeliner bent brush " $ 4.00 the most amazing brush to use with cream eyeliner.. hands down !!
** Eco Tools can be found in most drug stores. They have great brushes you can use with mineral makeup. Highly recommended.

Now as you get more familiar with brushes and use them you will see what you need such as a smaller shader brush, a firmer blending one , a smaller blush brush.. the range is endless and the good thing about getting individual brushes is that you can customize your collection with brushes you will actually use.

A tip for someone just beginning. From the 6 must have brushes above, choose at least the powder, shader and blending brush. Then get the rest as you are able to.

I know this is a lot of info and although I have not covered it all, I think this is a good place to start.

I hope this helps !

Until next time- K

Having Problems With Your Makeup ?? It could be your BRUSH !

Did your favorite foundation all of a sudden start streaking or caking ? Did you just get that expensive Nars blush that everyone is talking about only to find out it's a DUD ? Did you finally give into trying mineral makeup and it made you look a powdery mess??

Well gals.. I am here to tell you that it might not be the makeup your are using.. IT MIGHT BE YOUR BRUSH ( insert dramatic soap opera music right now!! )

Yes Girls ! I am talking about that stick with the soft hair sticking out of it ( if it's not soft then that's a whole other post ) That makeup brush can be the reason behind some of the best and worst makeup looks out there today.

Now I am going to assume all of you already have a good set of makeup brushes. If you don't I will be making a post talking about the importance of it as well as tips on what brushes you should have etc.

This is what happened to me this week:

I have been using Bare Minerals for the past 10 years . I have always been happy and never had a problem. A few days ago I went about putting my makeup as I always do and I noticed something was wrong.. it was cakey. This has never happened to me so I had to get to the bottom of it. I had not changed anything in my makeup regime so it had to be something that I was using already. I depot my makeup into smaller container I can take to work so I transfered all of them to new container thinking that might be the problem and I did not use my primer ( my primer dupe Aveeno Baby Lotion.. you can read more about that here http://www.luuux.com/health-beauty/need-primer-try-aveeno-baby-daily-bab... )So next day I was eager to put on my makeup and the same.. nothing changed. Now I was desperate ! I tried a new cleanser and new primer the following day... Still the same ( WHAT !! ) Then as I was about to chuck my BE into the trash can.. there it was looking right at me, my brush .. dull, heavy and all kinds of DIRTY !

Yes I am ashamed !! I should know better than to go 2 weeks without washing my foundation brush .. But you see I just got married and the traveling blah blah blah ( can you hear the violins playing ).. NO EXCUSE !! I was my fault.
So I went home washed my brush and after apologizing to my poor BE foundation ( who had been cursed up and down from here to California) I put it on and was happy to see my "flawless" airbrushed look come back upon me.

Moral of this story.. WASH YOUR BRUSHES !! If all of a sudden you are having to use more blush or your makeup just isn't right.. Look at your brushes first before swearing off makeup forever ;P

This is the same for when you get new makeup that looks pigment on everyone and their grandmothers but on you it's too light.. IT COULD BE YOUR BRUSH ! It could be a low quality brush that isn't picking up product as it should.

I was going to do a post about cleaning your brushes but there are so many great ones already I am going to share with you one I like:

http://forbeautysake.xanga.com/698475192/how-long-since-you-wash-your-ma...

Now there could be a million reasons why good makeup application goes bad.. but if you have eliminated the obvious ( new makeup, new lotion, bad reaction etc etc etc ) then it could be something simple like this.

Hope this helps you all !!

Until next time - K

What are Hair Cleansing Conditioners ?? Learn about it here !

Cleansing Creams.. What are they and what do they do ?

Hair cleansing conditioner have been around for awhile, Chaz Dean ( hair stylist to the star ) made this famous with his WEN cleansing system which he originally offered to his star clients. His line is now available to the public and if you have seen the infomercial then you are familiar with the concept. For those who have not here is a recap:

Wen® Cleansing Conditioner is a revolutionary new concept in hair care. A 5-in-1 formula, this one product takes the place of your shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave-in conditioner. It cleanses hair thoroughly but without lathering and all the harsh ingredients that may be found in ordinary shampoos—it is designed so it won't strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Your hair is left with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention.

This is how you use it:
1. Rinse hair thoroughly and completely for 1-2 minutes.
2. Dispense the proper amount of Cleansing Conditioner into your hands and rub together
3. Work product into the hair, starting at the crown and working towards the ends, massaging vigorously. Apply a splash of water to help distribute the product evenly.
4. Really work the Cleansing Conditioner into your hair by pushing it into the hair shaft with your fingers. Remember it won't lather, but it should feel thick, rich and creamy.
5. Leave in for a minimum of 3-5 minutes then rinse thoroughly and completely. Your Cleansing Conditioner should be the first thing on and the last thing you rinse off in your shower routine. Remember the more you use and the longer you leave it on, the better the results.
6. Once you are out of the shower put a small amount on your hair as a leave-in.

I know it sounds complicated but I promise the results are amazing.

When it comes to all new products I am the biggest skeptic. But the concept sounds good so I got it. After the first use I can tell this was something different, my hair was bouncy and my scalp felt clean as if I would of washed it with shampoo. Come to find out we don't NEED shampoo to cleanse our scalp and these cleansing creams work just as well if not better. ( not to mention that any opportunity to stop using chemicals on my skin is always a good thing )
The biggest thing I needed to get over was the fact that this does not lather, but after a few uses I got used to it. Also it does take an extra step or two than my previews routine, BUT the results I got were amazing do it really didn't matter if I had to wait an extra minute before I rinsed.
My hair is in the best condition ever and I have cleansing conditioners to thank for that.

Is there a downside.. yes there is.. the WEN system is EXPENSIVE ! $ 30.00 per month !! BUT I have good news !! Sally Beauty Supply carries a product called HAIRONE that is as good or better than WEN.
Each bottle is about 10 dollars and they will last about 2 months ( for someone with shoulder length hair ) If you don't wash your hair everyday it can last you longer..

AHHHH and there's more.. If you color your hair.. this will help you retain your color like nothing else ! My color now last 6-8 weeks LONGER compared to when I was using a regular color care shampoo.

Here are the links to both the WEN and HairOne.. Hope you try it !

http://www.sallybeauty.com/cleansing-conditioner/SBS-737104,default,pd.h...

http://www.wenhaircare.com/

If you already use this product or have tried it.. let me know what you think!!

Until next time- K

Are You A Beauty Addict ??

I was online this morning found this great blog from
www.thebeautybunny.com Fantastic Site !! Check them out !

16 Signs That You’re a Beauty Addict
By Cailin on January 6, 2009

Think you’re addicted to beauty? Read the list below and find out. I sure am, since most of the items here come from personal experience. Here’s sixteen warning signs that indicate you’re headed for beauty product addiction:

1. You've used your flat iron at work. I once saw a girl in my high school do this with a crimping iron (eww) – she just plugged it into the wall socket right in the middle of my teacher’s lecture!
2. Your favorite artist is Kevyn Aucoin. Renoir can be a little heavy-handed with blush.
3. When trying to describe a particular color, you start naming off MAC shades. Bonus points if naming them makes you mad that they’re discontinued.
4. You’ve gotten extremely creative when trying to extract the last drop of a beloved product from its container. I laughed out loud when I read Blogdorf Goodman’s rave about Chanel Glossimer:
“I wish I had stockpiled this gloss. I literally emptied the tube clean. I contemplated sawing the rest of the tube open to get the remaining gloss. You know a gloss is great when you are thinking of trying to operate a power tool.”
5. Nearly all of your Christmas presents were Sephora gift cards. And you were ecstatic.
6. Your friends and family won’t buy a beauty product without consulting you first. My mother learned this one the hard way: every time saw her with a new beauty product, I’d verbally grade it and then scold her about not buying this other product that’s so much better because it blah blah blah…
7. The ladies at the MAC counter know you by name. Bonus points if you know all their names too.
8. Forget LOL – your favorite acronym is GWP. If you don’t get it, you probably don’t give enough money to Estee Lauder companies.
9. When someone you know has a pimple-related emergency, you’re the first person they turn to. I have the misfortune of holding this title in my social circles. Greeeaaat.
10. You can name at least three products that have received the Allure Best of Beauty award. Bonus points if you’ve ever ripped out the mag’s pages of winners and brought them with you to Sephora like a grocery list.
11. You’re really kind of sick of explaining the hair color level system. Let’s review: Level 10=light blonde. Level 1=black. If you can’t figure it out from there, I can’t help you.
12. The bar inside of your shower actually broke under the weight of all your products. I’m not kidding, this really happened to me.
13. When wall sockets are scarce, you’ve been known to forgo charging a dying cellphone to power your CHI. Bonus points if your cell actually ended up dying. More bonus points if you didn’t care because your hair looked FABulous.
14. You’d be embarrassed to admit the number of lip glosses in your purse right now. Go ahead, count. Don’t forget balms!
15. You annoy hairstylists by recommending products for them to use on your hair. I’ve turned off many stylists this way, although there’s the occasional true beauty addict who’s just happy to meet another junkie. I actually begged a makeup artist to use YSL Touche Eclat on me instead of the concealer she’d selected because I saw it on her counter and had been lusting after it forever, but hadn’t bought it yet. (FYI, she did and I looked amazing.)
16. You've devoted an entire website and a massive amount of your time to writing about beauty. Guilty.

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So are you a beauty addict ???

Until next time - K

Photo via DailyMail.co.uk

What would Karen Say ? Question of the day 09/16/2010

Today's question is from Christie :)

Question : control acne fast
Details: I have a oily forehead & then normal everywhere else

This is what I suggest:

From what you describe it does not sound like you have severe acne. So I will suggest a skin regime that will not strip your face and will help with occasional breakouts.

My suggestion is to use the following:

Facewash: Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Facial Cleanser, Pink Grapefruit
Night Moisturizer: Cetaphil
Day Moisturizer: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock Cream SPF 55

For spot treatment I suggest: ZAPZYT Benzoyl Peroxide 10% ( or any other cream with the same active ingrediant )
Put on as necessary on the problem areas. After you moisturize and it soaks in put thin layer of this over the problem area.

The most important thing is to wash your face nightly as well as staying away from oil based makeup products.

I hope this helps !

Until next time- K

What would Karen Say ? Answers to your beauty questions ~

Hello Ladies !!

I am sure you are wondering who is Karen ? and why do we care what she has to say ? :P Well let me take a moment to introduce myself..

As you already know my name is Karen. I am 33 years old aspiring makeup artist and a declared beauty fanatic ! For as long as I can remember I have loved anything and everything that is related to beauty. In addition to being a consumer , I have had the opportunity to work with beauty companies and had a chance to learn not only tips and tricks but also about the beauty business. Although I have never attended beauty school, I have attended many seminars and workshops covering everything from basic makeup, bridal makeup, makeup for mature skin, correction color theory ,hair care , nail care and some skin care. For the past 15 years beauty has been my hobby and now it's become my job. I have learned and tried lots of products and techniques that I want to share with you.

For the past year or so I have been on Yahoo Answers answering your questions on makeup and hair. I love answering questions and helping others so this is an extension of that same concept. Send me your questions or post them below and I will answer them to the best of my ability. Obviously I don't know everything and I don't pretend to but I will at least tell you where to go for your answer.

I look forward to your questions !!

Until next time... K

Bringing Back Old Favorites Series : MAC Cream Color Base Fawnstatic

I made a new years resolution for 2010 and that was to go into my make-up stash and start using my old favorites. So with this series I am going to talk about some of my "re-discovered" makeup and how I am using them.

** For the record my makeup is maintained and properly stored.
as to avoid any bacteria or rancid problems ( with the exception of mascara which I do not store )

Today's product is : MAC Cream Color Base in Fawnstatic

I have had this product for YEARS ( I am almost ashamed to tell you how many ) !! I originally purchased this to use as an base back in the days before " UDPP or eye primer " was a household word. I was thrilled at the concept and took it home along with a few others. This CCB unfortunately did not get as much use and was tucked away waiting patiently for it's day to shine..

Fast forward 8-10 years - I need products that will fit into my busy lifestyle. Multi-use products that are easy to carry and are easy to apply are a big hit with me now.
So while going through my stash I found Fawnstatic. It's a lovely light taupe with a slight shimmer ( not glitter just a nice shimmer) that is a perfect shade to wear during the day alone and will easily transition into night with the help of a darker color or 2.

I have read that gals out there has used this as contour and highlighter . I personally have not tried it but if ever I get caught without either product it's nice to know I have an option.

For work I like to keep my makeup simple; foundation, bronzer, blush, Fawnstatic and mascara ( maybe some eyeliner and a crease color if I am in the mood ). That's it.
I personally do not have any creasing with this product and that could be because I do not have oily skin/lids. If you do don't be afraid of this product, just use some primer and you are set !

Another great thing about Fawnstatic is that when paired with a darker shade ( think cork, wedge, coquette) or even a fun eyeliner ( green, teal, blue ) it can take you right into happy hour with minimal effort !

MAC does still carry this oldie but goodie. If you are looking for a versatile product that will work with all skin tones.. give this a try !

Until next time ...

Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise.. the silent miracle worker

I love it when I find new products, especially a product that would normally not be something I would normally use or even consider using.

I recently ( 2 weeks ago to be precise ) I got married . A few months ago I started looking into hair treatments in order to have my hair looking it's best for my big day. So I was online looking at hair treatments and what products would be good for my hair. I have thin curly hair that hates protein treatments ( I know it's strange but it happens) So I look things that can give me moisture + protein that is not as strong as keratin ( ie. egg protein ). Further into my studies I find that oils are a great way to accomplish what I was looking for. So now on to my search for a good treatment with good oils. I don't know how but I ended up in the ethnic section of my local walgreens and I came across Organic Roots Hair Mayonnaise. I looked at the ingredients and it had these great oils and egg proteins !! Exactly what I was looking for. So I took it home and was amazed at the results.

First the packaging, I personally am a fan of the tub like jars. It makes it easy to scoop some and put it on. The product smells good and it's thick so it won't go running down your face. I did leave it on for a few hours while I did my sunday chores. I went to rinse it off and my hair was shiny and bouncy. I made sure I rinsed it well to prevent any residue.

It worked and continues to work like a charm. I can tell my hair is no longer breaking and can actually see my hair getting longer.

Next time you are in your local walgreens, walmart etc check out and let me know what you think.

Need a primer ? Try Aveeno Baby Daily Baby Lotion !

I came across this tip through youtube guru shellsxfabxfinds.

She tells the story of how this product contains the same ingredient found in some of our beloved face primers. ( Active Ingredients: Dimethicone 2% ) Well since I am always looking for a good dupe I ran to the store and compared it to a very known primer dupe Monistat Anti-Chaffing lotion and it was true.. they had the same active ingredients ! Not to mention that since Aveeno Baby is for infants it's hypoallergenic and fragrance free, won't clog pores ( and that's when I was sold ) Not to mention the price .. with Aveeno you get 8oz for under 6 dollars in comparison to Monistat 1.5 oz for the same price.

The next day I tried it and it worked ! My face felt moisturized , makeup lasted all day. This is now my daily go to primer. I use mineral makeup and I find that I get good results when I give the primer a few minutes to soak in. I have uber sensitive skin and I have never had a reaction from this product. Is this my HG primer ?..
I would lie if I said it was. My HG primer is CoverFX anti-aging primer but it's $35.00 per ounce, so I only use that on special occasions when I need the extra umph. But for work this is what I use and I could not be happier .

Hope you give it a try and let me know how you like it. For what it's worth if you don't like it as a primer.. it does make for a fantastic body lotion ;-)

Update 09/17/2010: I forgot to mention a good tip when using this product as a primer. Before you apply to your face warm it up. I am a girl who likes to get things done fast, so what I do is get a very small amount ( the size of a pea ) on my palm, then rub my palms together for a sec or two.. THEN I put it on my face and rub it in a bit. In my experience this gives the right amount of product for it to do it's job. Hope this helps !!