100% Pure Lip and Cheek Tint

Have you heard of 100% Pure? I'm totally intrigued by their line of lip and cheek tints ($15) which contain ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter, grapeseed oil and are tinted with actual fruit- cranberry, raspberry, grape, plum. All of the 100% Pure line is 100% vegetarian and gluten free and free of parabens, sulfates, harsh detergents and synthetic chemicals. Check out the full selection here. If you've tried something from this line, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

p.s. My recent beauty product obsessions include this dry shampoo and this sea salt spray. They're magic.

Cold Spring Apothecary

I first ran across Cold Spring Apothecary in early 2012 (blogged here) and have yet to purchase anything (shame on me). I've made some recent changes as to what I put in my body (see this pin board for a snapshot of how we've been eating) but my beauty product regiment needs a makeover (i.e. less toxins, less chemicals, please).

A bit about this company's philosophy: "Cold Spring Apothecary’s goal is to provide our customers with the safest alternatives to the harmful chemicals used in most cosmetics. By producing our products in small batches we can ensure that only the highest quality ingredients are used."

There are so many products I want to try including the dry shampoo, salt spray and eye cream. Have you tried anything from this shop? Any other shops/lines you'd recommend?

Herbivore Botanicals

Herbivore Botanicals is a small business based out of Seattle featuring 100% natural, vegan, handcrafted skincare products. I was first attracted to this brand by their packaging but now I have a few of their items on my must buy list including this set of bath salts. This shop even has options for the gents (see man soap and beard tonic).

24 Merry Days is in full swing. Check out the following giveaways:
Day #1 - Win a $300 gift cert to Kirribilla over at 79 ideas.
Day #2 - Win a screen printed map by Famille Summerbelle over at Fellow Fellow.
Day #3 Win a win pom pom gift set by Potter and Butler and bracelet from Jelanie over at Sugar & Cloth.

Down and Out Beauty: In My Kit

I want to share with you some of my kit favorites. These are products I come back to time and time again and always deliver.

Bioelements Moisture x10
This is hands down my favorite serum. It covers the widest range of skin types and I use it on almost all of my makeup clients. Its based with hyaluronic acid, a water loving acid that binds 1,000 times its own weight in water. This super hydrating serum can rapidly change the appearance of your skin by smoothing fine lines and helping your makeup go on like a dream.

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
I use this cream primarily as a foundation primer because its like makeup super glue. It temporarily tightens pores and the contours of the face and gives stressed skin a glow. Its perfect for pre bridal makeup or just when you've not had enough sleep and its showing on your face.

MAC Blushes
For me, MAC blushes are a no brainer. The range of colors, blendability, and pigmentation are brilliant. Don't be frightened by how bright they look in the pan because they are super pigmented you only need to lay your brush in the product before applying. This super pigmentation makes most colors suitable for the palest porcelain to the deepest ebony skin tones. My personal favs are Fleur Power, a satin bright pinky coral. Harmony, a matte beige brown, perfect for contouring the cheeks or just having something simple on the cheeks to keep the focus on the eyes or lips. Dollymix, a slightly shimmery candy pink, that's perfect on all skin tones.

Sleek Eyeshadow Palettes
Sleek Makeup is a well known brand from the UK and have recently made their products available online in the U.S. They pride themselves on making affordable makeup for all skin tones and putting a primary focus on those under represented by most beauty brands. The eyeshadow palettes come in eight different shade groups ranging from all neutral to acid brights all with twelve colors in each palette. These shadows are so pigmented and the color payoff is amazing! I would recommend using a primer before the shadow because there can be a little fall out when applying the color. Oh and did I mention that these palettes are only $10! My fav two would be the Bad Girl palette, perfect for a grungy smokey eye, and the Oh So Natural palette, great for Spring and Summer brides.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
I often think I live in the hottest place on earth during the summer. Even with dry skin my makeup still melts off my face if I spend any significant time outdoors. I started using All Nighter on brides last summer and was really pleased with the longevity it gave to their makeup. It feels really cool on the skin, blocks oil and sweat from breaking down foundation and blush and takes the powdery edge off foundation so your skin looks more natural.

Real Techniques Brushes
I really love these taklon fiber brushes. They are so easy to clean, they don't shed, and work perfectly with cream products. Those of you with sensitive skin will know that makeup brushes made from natural hair can sometimes scratch your face and feel quite itchy. Taklon fiber brushes would make a good alternative for those of us with sensitive skin or who prefer synthetic materials. Real Techniques brushes are well made and very affordable. My fave is the stippling brush. Its great for buffing foundation until it looks completely flawless, like a second skin.

These are my well tested, go-to faves but I'd love to know what are your go-to products that you consistently repurchase? Happy Spring everybody!

 -Layne

Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the makeup and beauty column Down and Out Beauty. Click here to read her previous posts.

Down and Out Beauty: Naked2 Palette

I know all the beauty blogs out there are flooded with Naked2 reviews and I look a little bit late to the party. However, I wanted to use every color in the palette, see how they wear, and how they photograph before I did a review. Overall I'm incredibly happy with my purchase.

Let's start with the price. At $50 for twelve eye shadows, a double ended brush, and a mini lip gloss, this palette is a steal! Each shadow contains .05oz, the same weight as a single MAC eye shadow that retails for $15. If you bought twelve MAC eye shadows you'd be out $180. Enough said there.

The metal case has a inside mirror, houses the brush but not the gloss, and closes firmly. The only negative is that it will not sit open without flopping over and that certainly is no deal breaker for me.

The first Naked palette was based on bronze neutrals and worked beautifully on medium to dark skin tones. The Naked2 palette focuses on taupe/ gray beige neutrals to suit all skin tones. The palette contains three matte colors: Foxy (pale yellow bisque), Tease (neutral pale brown), and Blackout (very pigmented black). Two shades with microglitter: Chopper (copper shimmer with silver glitter), and YDK (cool bronze with metallic glitter). Seven shades with a metallic finish: Half Baked (golden bronze), Bootycall (very pale cork), Snakebite (dark bronze shimmer), Suspect (pale golden beige), Pistol (perfect taupe grey/ brown), Verve (oyster shimmer), and Busted (deep chocolate shimmer).My personal favs are Pistol, Verve, Suspect, and Blackout.  I could totally live without Half Baked and Chopper as they do nothing for fair skin.

I really love the wide range of looks you can achieve with this palette. I've done everything from a matte 50's eye with kitten eyeliner to a grungy black smokey eye and even the most naturally beautiful bridal look. The versatility of neutrals with varying finishes is outstanding.

The shadows are intensely pigmented and tend to drop a bit during application. I'd recommend using Urban Decay Primer Potion as a base and tapping off excess shadow from the brush before applying to the lid to keep the shadow from falling on your cheek and creasing. The shadows wear very well all day and stay true to the original color.

This has to be the first time I've bought a makeup palette and didn't immediately toss the brush. It comes with a cruelty free taklon fiber, double ended brush. One side is a flat lay down brush for packing on color and the other is a domed crease brush for blending and crease work. The taklon fibers are stiff on the brush and if used correctly, work perfectly. Use the flat side in a patting motion and the crease side with a gentle sweeping for blending. Your skin should not move when applying or blending color!

The tiny lip gloss included in the palette is also called Naked and is very wearable nude. Unlike most nudes it isn't lighter than a natural lip tone so it doesn't make you look ill or washed out.The gloss has a thick long wearing formula and tastes of vanilla mint.

I think Naked2 is well worth the money and would make a perfect gift or a splurge for yourself. If you already have one, let me know what you think.

-Layne

Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the makeup and beauty column Down and Out Beauty. Click here to read her previous posts.
images: 1&2) taken by Layne 3) via Sephora

Down and Out Beauty: Easy Foundation Tip

I just want to give you a quick tip today on how to make your foundation last all day and maintain its true color. Those of us with oily or combination skin are very familiar with the midday shine through the t-zone and either disappearing or yellowing foundation. Everyone is quick to blame the foundation but over active oil glands are the true culprits. Our sebum mixes with the oils in the foundation causing oxidation or slightly emulsifying the foundation making it disappear or slid off your face.

via all you

The trick to prevent this from happening is so simple its almost comical. After you've applied your foundation, split apart a two ply tissue and using the single ply, press against your face. It helps to divide your face into sections while doing this to make sure you've absorbed the maximum amount of oil. Not only does this add longevity to your makeup but it sets the foundation without powder, smooths the look of pores and gives your face the look of bare skin. Since the tissue only absorbs oil, you can do this multiple times throughout the day to reduce shine.

via panik

If you are using powder or mineral foundations you can have quite the opposite problem with too powdery a finish. To take away that powdery edge, fill a spray bottle with purifyed water or rose water and after you've finished applying your foundation, spritz the water evenly over your face. You just want to dampen your skin and allow it to air dry. This will leave the coverage from the mineral foundation but take away the dry finish.

- Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the makeup and beauty column, Down and Out Beauty. Click here to read her previous posts. 

Down and Out Beauty: Fool proof combinations

As a makeup artist I love to try new textures and techniques with makeup. I find myself always looking for that next big thing! All this searching keeps me on my toes and now I have a very long list of favorite makeup looks and color combinations.

Blue eyes/ copper shadow and Green eyes/ purple shadow:

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These color combos are all about using the color wheel and picking eye shadows that are opposite your eye color. Putting opposites together will bring the subtle nuances of your eye color forward and the color will appear much more saturated. The most common colors of blue eyes have orange as their opposite. Most people aren't going to be down with orange eye shadow so the next best thing is copper. Olive green eyes opposite is violet so you can pick any color from burgundy to royal blue to make your green eyes pop. This technique makes you feel beautiful with what you have not just that your makeup looks good.

Auburn hair/ grey eyeshadow:

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The combination is one of my favorites and is so under used. Christina Hendricks seems to use it more than any other makeup look and it does so much for her eye and skin color. The cool grey highlights her porcelain skin and makes her hair look even more ginger.

One all over color:

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Matching eye, lip, cheek and even nail color is so simple but somehow looks like you've put so much thought into into your makeup. I like using either apricot or champagne shades for monochromatic makeup.

Deep skin tone/ bright cheek:

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It just doesn't get more beautiful than dark skin with a pop of color on the cheeks. If you have combination or oily skin you may want to stick to matte colors to keep unwanted shine down. Having such a bright cheek means you can be quite light on the rest of your makeup. Just add some mascara and a glossy lip and you'll look very put together.

- Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the makeup and beauty column, Down and Out Beauty. Click here to read her previous posts. 

Gift Ideas: Down and Out Beauty

We all do it; wait until the last minute for holiday shopping. Makeup and skincare make useful and thoughtful last minute gifts. Here's a few ideas to make your shopping experience a bit less stressful.

(1) For your friend that likes nothing better than lounging in the tub, Indigo Wild natural soaps smell delicious and will soothe dry winter skin. This gift set ($62) even includes a sample of their all natural laundry detergent so her clothes can smell just as good as she does.

(2) Dior Homme ($54) is the perfect gift for the single guys in your life because it is like a chick tractor beam. A good friend of mine wears this cologne and has to beat the girls off of him. It has a warm, woodsy scent without any musk

(3) I like these Korres lip sets ($15) for dirty santa, white elephant, teacher gifts, or secret Santa gifts that have a price limit. The color of these lip butters is amazing. Its opaque with a creamy gloss and it feels like the most emollient lip balm.

(4) For your makeup maven bestie I love these eye enhancing palettes ($42) from Smashbox. Its a very personalized gift and you can't go wrong with the color choices as they are selected to enhance specific eye colors.

(5) I adore the packaging for this Butter London nail duo ($25)! We all have that one friend whose favorite color is sparkles! This would be perfect for her.

(6) Philosophy makes quality crowd pleasing scents that are a gift no-brainer. This set ($49.50) would be amazing for your mother, mother in law, grandmother, aunts, or anyone put off by over powering perfumes. The scent is very clean but also feminine and lovely. 

(7) My nieces are obsessed with makeup so I always include some inexpensive "big girl" makeup for them to destroy, along with their Christmas gifts. ELF makes super cheap palettes ($10) with all the fun colors for them to play.

Happy Holidays everyone!
-Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: Know your eye shape

I love to watch makeup tutorials and look at print ads to copy makeup looks that I like. Its refreshing to watch how other makeup artists work and gives me ideas for myself and clients. After I've given a makeup lesson, I often recommend that clients watch online tutorials to keep practicing. Sometimes they come back and say they've tried a specific look, followed the directions perfectly, and it looked nothing like it was supposed to look. This is almost always because they had a different shaped eye than the model.

Knowing your eye shape will help you tweak any makeup to look perfect on you. Now that being said, this is not about old fashioned rules saying that certain shapes shouldn't wear certain makeup. I believe everyone can wear whatever they like and that rules are made to be broken. Almost all the pictures I see of Taylor Swift she's wearing fully closed in smokey eye makeup on her small narrow eyes. That's a major rule broken but she counter balances the closed in eye with full lashes and a highlight on the inner corners of her eye. This will just be a guide to help you see what you've got and how to enhance it.

via fashion bomb

Almond eyes: have a cat-like shape, a good amount of width horizontally and they can be tilted up at the outer corners or down. With almond eyes you can pretty much wear any makeup you like. Lucky!

via vogue folk

Small eyes: are proportionately smaller than the other features of the face. Compare one eye to the tip of the nose or to the lips and see if its significantly smaller. Smaller eyes look amazing with a flesh toned liner on the waterline, full lashes on the outer corners, and a well defined crease to open the eye up. Kitten eyeliner with light shimmering shadow under the eye is absolutely beautiful on small eyes.

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Wide set eyes: have a space between the eyes that is wider than one of your eyes. With wide set eyes breakout the makeup and have fun because you can wear anything and look great!

getty images via here

Close set eyes: have less than the width of one eye between the two eyes. By concentrating darker shadow and lashes at the outer corners you can pull your eyes apart and still wear a fully lined smokey eye. The outer corner flick of kitten eyeliner is a great trick to pull eyes apart. Just make sure the liner at the inner corner is thin.

via daily mail

Round eyes: are very open and do not taper off they way almond eyes do. If you've been told you have doll eyes or have innocent eyes they're probably round. Round eyes will look beautifully child-like if you keep the makeup light and shimmery with full lashes. For sultry Bette Davis eyes use darker shadows to define the crease and a heavy eyeliner.

via screencrave

Prominent eyes: are usually larger than average and are the dominant feature on the face because in profile they come farther out than the brow bone. Because you don't have to worry about making prominent eyes look smaller, you can choose very dark colors and go for serious dramatic makeup. To create some depth and give the illusion of a crease, find your socket bone with your finger, use a crease brush to apply shadow on top of this bone, and this will create a crease where there was none before.

Keep in mind that you'll most likely fall in at least a couple of these categories. I fall into three of them; round, prominent, and wide set. No matter what shape you've got, it's beautiful because it's yours. This is all about learning to enhance what you have and to feel pretty. I hope this helps you get a bit more out of your makeup application and maybe some new ideas for Holiday parties.

-Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: Fall Favorites

1. Dr Pepper lip balm ($1.75)
This isn't just a great tasting lip balm with the perfect hint of color; its a time machine! Straight back to 1994. It reminds me of new boyfriends, flannel shirts and Dinosaur Jr. Amazing!

2. Snowglobe Eye Shadows from MAC ($36)
I'm the first to admit that I am a sucker for packaging, but how can you say no to a compact with a snow globe on the top? The warm colored palette is my personal favorite for fall and winter. The antique gold, russet brown, and warm matte black will definitely be used on New Year's Eve.

3. Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine lipgloss in Siren ($28)
I normally would never spend this much on a lipgloss. It was a total impulse buy and I couldn't be happier about it. The description says siren is a metallic red, but its more like a metallic red/orange with copper shimmer. It has this beautiful autumnal color, stays on your lips forever, and tastes like cake batter.

4. Boots No7 Radiance Boosting Hot Cloth Cleanser ($9.99)
When you have sensitive or dry skin, exfoliation can be a challenge. Hot cloth cleansers offer a gentle alternative to granular exfoliants. You're meant to massage in the cream cleanser on dry skin, soak the cloth in warm water, lay the warm cloth against your face, gently massage away the cleanser, and then finish with a splash of cool water. This is the closest dupe to using a clairsonic skin brush that I've found.

5. Alba Very Emollient Body Lotion ($10.95)
I discovered this body lotion in Esthetics school and have kept a liter of it in my bathroom ever since. I love that its completely unscented so I can wear it to work or add a spray of my favorite perfume to the lotion before I apply it to my legs for a night out. Its packed with emollient oils like sesame, jojoba, and avocado as well as aloe vera, green tea, and chamomile to hydrate the skin and reduce inflammation. Because it doesn't contain mineral oil or petroleum its non greasy and easily penetrates the skin.

6. MAC #217 Blending Brush ($22.50)
I tend to wear more eye shadow in the fall and winter simply because I don't have to worry about it creasing. I apply shadow with the two brush method; one brush to lay down the color and a 217 brush to blend the edges. The 217 is pretty versatile. It can be used to blend concealer as well as eye shadow and can work with creams or powders.

-Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.  

Down and Out Beauty: Wish List

1. These beautifully delicate paper lashes ($19) would be a fantastic addition to a Halloween costume or you could snip just the ends off and add to your outer lashes for a special night out.

2. Lip Tar ($13) goes on like a gloss but dries to a satin finish. You apply the tiniest amount with a lip brush and it stays for hours. Hush would be a great choice for brides and wouldn't come off on your hubby during the big kiss.

3. Drier Fall and Winter skin can look so dull. This Iced Gold highlighter ($30) is pearly not glittery so it can be used on all age groups for that lit from within glow.

4. I nearly cried when I found out Chanel was discontinuing ProLumiere foundation. I just tried a sample of Perfection Lumiere ($55) and I can dry my tears. Its like ProLumiere but with an improved formula and blends effortlessly.

5. I am massively into vintage compacts ($28) at the moment. Compacts from the 1950's are really affordable and if you find an empty one, you can add your own loose powder.

6. I love this brush ($16)! It can be used for highlighting, contouring, powder, and blush. Its a great value considering its MAC counterpart is $53.
-Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: Fall makeup trends

The dropping temperatures and humidity have me really excited about fall makeup! Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year and the richness of fall colors translate so well into your makeup palette. After a long summer of natural pink, humidity-proof neutral, I'm getting bored. I'm longing for something dramatic, saturated, and alive.

I've kept a close eye on the runways and makeup lines to find the most wearable fall trends and I have to say I'm quite pleased with this year's looks.

Molten metal smokey eye is a biggie this year. It's far easier to wear than the usual matte black/grey smokey eye because the lighter metallic shade is focused on the inner corners of the eye, making your eyes appear larger. Try adding MAC pigment in Old Gold to the inner corners of your eye with your existing smokey eye look.

This year's twist on the classic red lip is a satiny finish. Think burgundy, plum, brick, and burnt orange velvet. 

I'm so grateful that full brows are making a comeback. Last spring's invisible eyebrows were horrifying and completely unwearable. Full brows instantly make you look more youthful, so if you've over tweezed in the past, fill them in with a colored brow gel: it picks up brow hairs you didn't even know you had and looks completely natural.

Spider leg lashes are huge for the fall. For a neater, more wearable version, apply several coats of mascara and comb through just once after the last application of mascara. That way your lashes will be more Twiggy than Tammy Faye. Or you can opt for cruelty-free mink falsies for some extra drama.

My favorite trend for fall isn't really a trend for me at all. Its my go-to look: kitten eyeliner. It takes some practice to get a neat symmetrical line, but your patience will be rewarded as this look will get you noticed. It calls so much attention to your eyes and makes every blink look sexy. Check out Lisa Eldridge or Pixiwoo on youtube for a video tutorial on how to do perfect kitten eyeliner.

Last, but not least, is glowing skin. When the humidity levels drop, your skin can become dehydrated very quickly. Switching to a richer moisturizer and adding a highlighter to your makeup kit will keep your skin looking healthy and glowing. I like MAC strobe cream applied under foundation on the tops of your cheeks, brow bone, bridge of your nose, and inner corners of your eye. This gives a lit-from- within glow that's not over the top shiny.
I hope you'll give some of these looks a try. Be playful and be brave.

Products above:  Maybelline gel eyeliner $7.94 ; Pigment shadow $20; Brow set $15; Rouge artist intense lipstick $19; Strobe Cream $15; Doll me up lashes $29.99

Images above: paint it lace; fashion with style; taschen; style.com (via the stir); luzy calor; we heart it

-Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: When to splurge and when to save

When choosing new makeup there are definitely products that are worth the investment and great drug store brands that are more friendly to your bank account. Its helpful to know where to spend your money.

Foundation, powder, and eye shadow are the products you want to spend a little extra money. Professional foundations and powders have finely milled color particles that look much more natural on the skin and are easier to blend. Pro eye shadows won't drop on your cheeks during application, have much more color pay off and stay put all day.

Shiseido Makeup Dual Balancing Foundation $38.50; Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder $30; MAC eyeshadow $15 

Your local drugstore is a great place to stock up on eye and lip pencils, lip gloss, mascara, and eyelashes. I really have never felt much difference between these drugstore products and their more expensive duplicates. Boots No. 7 makes my absolute favorite nude lip pencil and ELF keeps me in black eye liner (three for $3). Revlon Just Bitten lip stain is almost identical to its Smashbox counterpart at one third of the price. I use Ardell lashes applied with Duo lash glue on most of my brides. They give a soft natural look and the glue dries completely clear and is waterproof. Covergirl LashBlast Fusion mascara gives amazingly fat lashes just make sure to use your lash comb when building up multiple coats.

Ardell Lashes $3.49; Elf eye pencil set $3; Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain + Balm $8.99; Boots No. 7 Line and Define Lip Liner $6.99; Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara $8.99

What are your favorite beauty products to splurge and save on?

-Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: 24 hour miracle cream

As an aesthetician, I have pretty high standards for skin care products. I've been in serious "like" with many moisturizers but never really in love.

I've had my eye on a French line called Embryolisse for a while. European skin care therapists and makeup artists rave about it but until recently it hasn't been available in the US. When I found out Camera Ready Cosmetics started carrying Embryolisse I jumped on it and bought Lait-Crème Concentré 24 hour Miracle Cream". Finally I'm in love!

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré $14-$25

This rich lotion is so versatile. It can be used as a makeup remover, moisturizer, and a foundation primer, which makes it ideal for traveling. Since it sets to a matte finish its suitable for combo, normal, dry, and sensitive skin types. The French tend toward a "less is more" strategy so the product has just one paragraph of ingredients with the main being shea butter, soy protein, and aloe. I love that its paraben and mineral oil free and isn't tested on animals. The old fashioned aluminum tube its packaged in allows me to use every drop of product and the tube is completely recyclable.

The best part is how it makes my skin feel, like perfectly functioning skin. Not dry skin slathered in oil. It reduces the redness in my skin and the ever present dry patches on the tip of my nose are no more. While it does make a beautiful canvas for foundation, I've found myself mixing my Chanel Pro Lumiere foundation with it and applying it with my fingers. It makes an amazing tinted moisturizer with a beautiful natural finish.

I really can't get over the price at $25 for the 2.6oz tube. What a steal! Give this multi tasker a try and tell me what you think.

- Layne
Layne is a licensed aesthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: The Lessons We Learn

My inspiration for this week's post was one of those long conversations that you can only have with your best girlfriend. My friend J and I sat on her porch and reminisced about our mothers and grandmothers and all they taught us about life, beauty, and how to take care of ourselves. These truths they have shown us might seem small, but they're like road maps to being a girl and the effects can last a lifetime.  

la petite gallery

My mom taught me to always wash my face before bed and that sleeping in makeup was non-negotiable. You just didn't do it. Even though mom has oily skin, she helped me take care of my dry skin by making sure I always used moisturizer and she kept a humidifier in my bedroom. When I started experimenting with makeup in my early teens, my mom made sure I didn't stop my foundation at my jawline and didn't wear dark eye makeup with a dark lipstick. Her lessons became life long habits for me and saved me from some embarrassing situations, to say the least.

via miss moss tumblr

My grandmothers made a more sensory impression on me. The smell of rose face creme, images of red bee stung lips and cateye glasses immediately come to mind. They used home remedies like honey on a skinned knee and cold cream on a sunburn. And still the smell of any of these things makes me feel little again, as smell is our sense most associated with memory.

tobias regell

I know my friend J learned these same lessons from her mother and grandmother just like me. I think it's a small comfort to know that by practicing what our mothers and grandmothers teach us we keep them alive in a little way. What did your mothers and grandmothers teach you about beauty? Or what have you discovered yourself that you want to share with others?

-Layne
Layne is a licensed esthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: Antioxidants + Suncreen

My inspiration for this post was a rash of clients and one of my front desk girls coming for pre Bonnaroo facials and skincare advice. They all said they wanted me to "save" their skin from the harsh conditions of the festival. I advised all of them to use an antioxidant and sunscreen cocktail to get the most protection from the sun.

Recent studies have shown that adding antioxidants to sunscreen significantly helps to protect against UV damage. UV exposure can damage skin cells and cause the formation of free radicals, molecules missing an electron, that will then rob other molecules to replace the missing electron. This process, called oxidation, doesn't kill cells, but can mutate their DNA. When these mutated cells divide, their daughter cells will contain copies of the altered DNA. With repeated free radical attacks, the body's natural antioxidant defense is overwhelmed and the cumulative damage can cause a host of chronic diseases, such as cancer, and lead to photo aging by attacking collagen and elastin fibers in the skin.  Oxidation happens even if you're wearing sunscreen, so by adding antioxidants, either orally or topically, you fill the "oxidation hole" left by your sunblock.

Neutrogena Pure & Free™ Liquid Daily Sunblock SPF 50 $12.49; Naturopathica Ultra-Lite Vitamin C Complex (also available here) $28-$58

Personally, I prefer an antioxidant based serum (vitamins C, E, and A) worn under an SPF 50 sunscreen. These vitamins stop the oxidation chain reaction by supplying free radicals with the missing electron they need. They also neutralize enzymes that attack collagen and elastin fibers.  Since it takes four hours for antioxidants to be absorbed topically in the skin its best to apply your serum both morning and night.

My favorite serum at the moment is the Naturopathica Ultra-lite Vitamin C Revitalizing Complex. Since I have dry skin I apply one pump of the serum and then moisturizer and sunscreen over the top. Normal to oily skin types can use the serum as a moisturizer as it has a light gel to cream texture with a very clean finish.

This simple addition to your routine can be your best defense against photo aging and keep your skin looking healthy and young.

-Layne
Layne is a licensed esthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: Big BIG Lashes

1) Fairydrops Scandal Queen Mascara $24

2) Japonesque Mini Heated Eyelash Curler $18

3) Sonia Kashuk Lash Comb $4.99

With my impending birthday, I find myself more concerned about what makeup I'll put on my face than the clothes I'll put on my back. For me, nothing says birthday makeup quite like enormous, doll-like lashes so I tried a new brand of mascara just for the occasion. Fairy Drops Scandal Queen mascara caught my eye simply because I thought the packaging was hilarious. The Vegas themed box looks as though a middle school girl decorated it, with the only thing missing being the doodled name of her crush. Since I always go to Sephora with clean lashes, I quickly picked up some tester wands and tried it out. I was immediately impressed with how much volume I got from a single coat and how quickly the mascara dried. Fairy Drops has a fiber rich formula that doesn't flake or smudge no matter how oily your lids or humid the conditions, but will easily remove with cream cleanser. It also holds a curl like a waterproof formula without making my lashes stiff and brittle.

For everyday wear one coat is plenty, but for my birthday out, a little more effort is required. First, I'll curl my lashes with my Japonesque mini heated eyelash curler ($18) and then apply my first coat of mascara. While my lashes are still wet, I'll comb them with a metal lash comb. The second coat comes with a trick: lay a business card or plastic spoon over the eyelid to isolate the upper and then lower lashes, this way I can apply loads of mascara without making a mess. Comb, curl and repeat until I have three coats of mascara. Sure, just using fake lashes would be easier, but I live for someone to ask me if my lashes are real and with all honesty I get to say "why, yes, they are".

-Layne
Layne is a licensed esthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: Concealer Trick

Mac 224 tapered blending brush $29; Sephora Collection rounded crease brush #13 $17; sonia kushuk pointed blending brush $3.99     

I want to share with you one of my favorite makeup tricks. I always apply concealer with a rounded tip eye crease brush. I know that it sounds really simple but it will save you so much time when applying your makeup. The rounded tip and fluffy bristles allow you to pick up just the right amount of product and then buff it into the skin with circular motions. Traditional concealer brushes hold so much product that it easily becomes cakey and very hard to blend. This technique allows for a seamless flow between concealer and foundation and you may already have one these brushes in your makeup bag. With under eye circles and blemishes covered in a flash, you can sleep for an extra ten minutes in the morning.

-Layne

Layne is a licensed esthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: The Elusive Holy Grail

As a person with very fair skin, I have always had trouble finding my perfect foundation. Always looking for perfection, I've rarely ever bought the same foundation twice. They always end up either looking bad in natural light, caking up half way through the day, oxidizing yellow, or flaking off.  However, after many years of searching, I think I've found my Holy Grail of foundation.

I decided to give Chanel foundations a try because so many other makeup artists have it in their kits. When I went to the Chanel makeup counter, the makeup artist gave me several formulas to try: VitaLumiere Aqua (a light water based fluid for light to medium coverage), VitaLumiere (a hydrating and light reflecting fluid for light to medium coverage), and ProLumiere (an oil free formula with light reflecting pigments that give medium to full coverage).

After trying them all, I bought the ProLumiere. It comes in a glass bottle with a pump top that measures out the perfect amount of product for a single use. I applied the foundation with my favorite foundation brush the Sephora platinum airbrush #56 ($32). I was immediately in love with the texture and the fact that I needed very little concealer.  At the end of a long day I checked how the foundation looked, and it still looked flawless even after I'd performed several facials with steam, been outside in the humidity, and stayed out late with the girls.

The ProLumiere ($54) was my favorite, but oily skin types would benefit from the VitaLumiere Aqua ($45) and drier or mature skin types would do well with VitaLumiere ($55). I encourage everyone when shopping for makeup to ask for samples and try as many as possible. I'm curious to know how many of you have found your Holy Grail foundation?

-Layne
Layne is a licensed esthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty.

Down and Out Beauty: Argan Oil

I was reading an article in a skin care publication the other day and came across some intriguing information about Argan oil. What piqued my interest was that all argan oil sold today is produced by a co-op of women belonging to the Berber tribe in Morocco. The profits from sales of the oil help provide education and healthcare for the entire community. The co-op has also established an ecosystem reforestation project so that the supply of argan oil will not run out.

Moroccan Argan Tree via everything weird

The oil is derived from the kernels of the Argan tree, which is one of the rarest trees in the world. It was brought to the brink of extinction by clear cutting and it's use for fire wood. The argan tree is endemic to Morocco, and due to its small and very specific growing area, the oil is referred to as "liquid gold". The women of the Berber tribe cold press the argan kernels to retrieve the oil. It's used cosmetically as well as in cooking.

via care2

The oil is incredibly rich in vitamin E, phenols, carotenes (vitamin A precursor), squalene, and essential fatty acids. What that means for skin care is you have a non greasy, scar healing, anti aging, blemish preventing, anti-inflammatory powerhouse oil. Its so rare to come across anything that works for every skin type, but this oil does it and is such a multi-tasker. You can use it as a hair serum, to soften cuticles, to treat eczema, psoriasis, hypersensitivity, and is safe for use on infants. I've compared it to the most expensive face creams, and this simple oil has higher concentrations of the most sought after active ingredients on the market.

via national cathedral school in morocco

You have to be a bit picky when buying argan oil. I've found it hard to find 100% pure argan oil. I found many products claiming to be pure argan oil but the dead give away that they aren't is the color. Pure argan oil is a clear, bright acid yellow and will have a strong smell. After much searching, I found Argan Oils Company and this is the real thing. I encourage you all to give it a try and tell me what you think.

Acure Organics 100% USDA Moroccan Argan Oil $28.99; Josie Maran Organic Argan Oil $14-$48; **Cosmetic Argan Oil $32

Hope you all have a lovely week!
 -Layne
Layne is a licensed esthetician and makeup artist working at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, GA. She writes the bi-weekly column, Down and Out Beauty. 

Editor's note- I started using Argan Oil on my face, every night, after reading this post. I adore this stuff and highly recommend it.