Wowza! Whip Hand!

Is it normal to have a crush on a beauty line? Because I am mad digging on Whip Hand Cosmetics,

GIVE GOOD FACE Rosewater Tonic

I don't really understand what hyaluronic acid is or why or how it "hydrates the skin, plumping and toning your complexion", but it just DOES. I'm officially capital "A" addicted to this stuff. Not only does it smell awesome and is fun to spritz, it 100% made a noticeable difference in my skin. In the slow crawl through a brutal winter's cold, wind and snow, when most of us women struggle double time to keep our epidermis in top form, I caught myself checking out my complexion in the mirror because it looked DEWY. And HEALTHY. Insanity! In the very best way. 

SET THE STAGE PRIMER

Goes on like a soothing lotion all over the face to fill, smooth and re-texturize skin before applying foundation and other concealer. It's unscented, non-irritating and easy to blend in. Again, this product delivers a noticeable difference- pores become invisible, skin becomes balanced and smooth, and foundation glides on like a dream. Fun fact: This product is even used on-set by the Good Morning American make-up and beauty team! 

LIMITED EDITION LOOSE PIGMENT EYE SHADOW: CAMO COLLECTION 

Special Forces: Shimmering peachy gold is a great highlight and all over lid base color. 

Locked + Loaded: A gorgeous gun metal gray with the perfect amount of shine and staying power. Truly my new favorite color. 

LIP CREME in Coven

A pretty bubblegum pink that you can build from lovely light stain to more heavier, saturated coverage. Oh and it doesn't budge one bit. 

Beyond the addiction inducing products, the packaging is flippin' bada$$ too. Oh and did I mention that Whip Hand is also a local Detroit, MI made and manufactured company? The amazingness is almost too much! So what are you waiting for?! Get out there and Whip Hand! Whip Hand it good!

Primer + SPF: Alison Raffaele

Alison Raffaele
Primer: Acne Response Formula with spf 15

Not really sure if this qualifies as lotion/potion or make up, although it is technically a pre-foundation... I don't wear foundation, so I'm putting it here!

I was dubious, all this face-primer. Does anyone really have time for yet another step in the morning routine? However, this is worth it!

A couple of squirts of this smooth cream leaves my face feeling soft & protected. It feels like silky velvet, so nice! And it has zit-killers & anti-oxidants! What more does a girl need?

After a couple of weeks, I have noticed improvement in my skin texture & complexion. It's like magic. Thank you Alison!

P.S.: Free of nasty junk & environmentally responsible! Not animal tested:)

Intellegent Aesthetics: Balance Kit & Exfoliating Oatmeal Cleanser

Intellegent Aesthetics: Truth Based Skin Care
Balance Kit & Exfoliating Oatmeal Cleanser
I love the packaging, very minimal & straight-forward. Print can be too small, but that's life. Loving the tagline, "the end of false hope." After using the line for a week, I did notice a drastic reduction in the blackhead population of my nose, which is nice. The rest of my face revolted, however, and some not-so-pretty spots appeared around my temples & forehead. My oil production system does NOT like attempts at control & fights. Fights dirty, too. The Exfoliating Oatmeal Cleanser smelled nice. The creamy base is good, but the scrubbing bits were on the huge side. I am all about micro-scrubbers, and these were full-on granules. I know that my skin has a tendency to freak out, but I hurt after this. My face felt raw. Maybe this is really exfoliating? Maybe I have delicate skin? My dad (hey, real men exfoliate) is very happy with this, as he thinks micro-bead scrubbers are girly. He did not use the word "girly," but that it my best translation of the face he made. Refreshing Pore Cleanser- LEMONS! This is a fairly good cleanser. Salicylic Acid, antioxidants, rinses well. Not too harsh. Oil Control Skin Primer-- Yes, I am a product junkie who does not understand toner. Having come of age in the sea-breeze & oxy pad era, I think of toners as harsh & semi-evil. Toners that don't make your fingertips peel, I really don't get. So, you wash your face, then you put stuff on it, & that makes it cleaner? Yeah, I don't buy it. It is, however, grossly satisfying to see dirt on a cotton ball-- much like seeing the biore strip post-peel. This is a little Pledge-y smelling, yellow water. AM/PM Mattifying Complex-- This was cleanly lemony, and does help the clearing process. It has very little to recommend it to those of us who fear wrinkles, except the pomegranate extract. This was a no-harm/no-foul product for me. The line also includes the Intensive Oil Balancing Treatment, but it has chamomile, so I didn't try it (allergic). I don't know why, but this entire line has Ricinus Communis Seed Extract. That's Castor oil. Why? All told, this is a well developed line. I have come to the conclusion that it is meant for younger &/or less mercurial skin than mine. I am going to have my nieces try it, I do not doubt that it will work well for them.