Steal: JoeFresh Mascara

Mascara is an essential tool, even if you don't wear much make-up at all. I'm not loyal to one type of mascara or even one brand. I'm of the theory that all mascaras are basically the same formula and that it's the brush that makes the main difference. Everyone's lashes are different so one brush and formula won't necessarily get the same effect on two different sets of lashes.

I featured a number of JoeFresh Beauty products a few posts ago (Part One here and Part Two here) but just recently picked up one of their black mascaras on a recent shopping trip.

JoeFresh, like many drugstore/inexpensive brands, does not offer testers for most of their products. Their lip products have testers but none of the foundations, powders, eyeshadows, pencils or mascaras. When will these companies figure out that people will be more likely to buy if you've got a good product AND you're able to test it before buying? People are just going to open the product for sale if you have no testers and it's messy and unappealing to look at a display with curled plastic and broken product. And there's my rant.

The JoeFresh mascaras come in brown and black and costs $6 CDN a tube, which makes it one of the most (if not the most) inexpensive mascaras available in Canada. This is a STEAL!

It's also got a great, thick brush that holds lots of product, which is a thicker, drier formula. The downside to this is that it needs to be blotted quite a bit on a tissue before you can apply it to remove the clumps. But if you do this, it goes on quite well. It's a good formula, not too wet (too wet mascara can destroy the curl of your lashes) and the brush is the type that you can really get into your lashes without getting it all over your eyelids.

Here is my before and after. My lashes have been curled and combed prior to putting on the mascara, and I applied it to both top and bottom lashes. This is approximately how much mascara I'd wear on an average workday. I am wearing only base and concealer otherwise.

It's inexpensive but it nicely lengthen and thickens my lashes; it isn't overly messy (if you blot the brush well before applying); the formula isn't overly dry or wet; it doesn't flake. I don't think I've been this impressed by a mascara for a long, long time. Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash is a recent favourite of mine, but considering it's about three times more expensive than the JoeFresh mascara...well, that's a no brainer.

JoeFresh Beauty products are available at Loblaws stores, Canadian Superstores and JoeFresh locations. For a list of locations, click here.

C

Allure Magazine readers vote for Splurges vs Steals

We will continue to give you our personalized picks for Splurges and Steals but here are some more opinions, namely those of Allure readers. 

Do you disagree with any of these? Agree? Want to know more? Tell us!

http://www.allure.com/beauty/2009/06/readers_choice#slide=1

C.

Splurge VS Steal: Skincare - Pimple Treatments, Masks and Exfoliators

Looking to see what our recommendations for those specialty skin treatment splurges and steals are? Read on, but first, here are our skin type specifications. We have similar skin types so if you've got dry skin or sensitive skin or something else entirely and want to know if we have any suggestions for your skin type, ask us!

Jill: Combination with an oily t-zone.  I rarely break out but the few pimples I get tend to be fairly  deep & painful.  I sometimes suffer from puffy eyes. I live in an extremely dry climate.

Catherine: Combination skin - normal on my cheeks, oily in my t-zone. My skin is rarely without pimples, but they tend to be small. When I don't exfoliate, my skin gets flaky. I live in Toronto, a city with a temperate, moderately humid climate.

Pimple Treatment

J: SPLURGE - Zeno Acne Clearing System ($129 US)

Ever wish you could zap your zits with your cell phone?  Well this device (which oddly looks like a cell phone) really does help decrease the size and life span of a pimple by delivering heat which helps kill the bacteria responsible for your zit.  It is a sizable investment, but for me it was really worth it.  I've been using mine for somewhere around 5 years.  It won't make large zits dissapear entirely, but it does help prevent them from getting bigger and helps stop the inflammation.  I can't recommend it enough.

C:  I don't use pimple treatments since nothing has ever effectively worked for me. A dab of my Jamieson's Vitamin A Retinol cream helps to speed up the pimple's life span and concealers do the rest for me.

Exfoliator

J: SPLURGE - Clarisonic Skincare Brush ($217.00)
Another sizable investment - but let me tell you the Clarisonic really does remove dirt & makeup effectively all the while providing you with light exfoliation.  Since using this product I rarely bother to use other types of exfoliators.

C: SPLURGE - Philosophy The Great Mystery (one-minute deep cleansing daily facial) (5 fl.oz., $25 US)
I used to work at a store that sold Philosophy products, so I got to try many of them. This was one of my favourites. Unfortunately it's not one of the Philosophy products Sephora carries, but it's available on the Philosophy website. It was created to mimic the microdermabrasion effect and it's warming, soothing and incredibly softening. It does what it claims, it's like a very speedy facial and leaves my skin smooth, radiant and softened.

STEAL: Baking soda and water.
You really can't get much more simple than this. A teaspoon of baking soda and a drizzle of water (or your facial cleanser) becomes a softening, very gentle exfoliator in the palm of your hand. It's fantastic for sensitive skin and a good place to start if you're new to exfoliators.

Mask

J: SPLURGE:  Proactiv Solution Refining Mask (2.5 oz. $13.95 US)

This sulphur based mask works nicely to reduce oil and more importantly cut down on blemishes.  Like the infomercial suggests, put a dab on your pimples and leave on overnight.  It really helps!

C: I like my masks to draw out impurities, tighten, soothe and smooth my skin and exfoliate.

SPLURGE: Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask (3.4 oz, $85 US)
I received a sample of this and it's way more pricey than anything I could ever afford but it is unbelievable on my skin. Every Fresh product I've tried has been like this - it's gorgeous (though pricey) stuff.

STEAL: Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics Mask of Magnaminty (125 g, $9.95)
I used to work for Lush and this is one product that's been stuck in my skincare routine ever since. It's everything a mask should be - minty, deep-cleansing, thick, exfoliating, refreshing. This is great on your feet and back (if you have bacne) too. I've even done an all-over body mask with this. In the summer this is an amazing product because it's so minty, it cools your skin.

Stay tuned for more Splurge VS Steal posts (and feel free to suggest a category). If you haven't already, check out our Splurges VS Steals for Cleansers and our picks for Moisturizers.

As always, give us your opinions and if you have any questions, ask away!

C&J

Splurge VS Steal: Skincare - Cleansers, Toners and Eye Makeup Removers

Welcome to a new column for Beauty2 - Splurge VS Steal! In this series, we will dish on our favourite products, both upscale and drugstore.  We hope that our suggestions will give you some options when considering your beauty budget. Steals are generally items that can be found in a drugstore (or kitchen!), while splurges are generally the stuff of department store counters or available online.  Whenever possible, we will give you the most accurate price for the item (in Canadian dollars).

To start off we will describe our skin types to give you a background as to the products we use.

Jill: Combination with an oily t-zone.  I rarely break out but the few pimples I get tend to be fairly  deep & painful.  I sometimes suffer from puffy eyes. I live in an extremely dry climate.

Catherine: Combination skin - normal on my cheeks, oily in my t-zone. My skin is rarely without pimples, but they tend to be small. When I don't exfoliate, my skin gets flaky. I live in Toronto, a city with a temperate, moderately humid climate.

This column is all about cleansing and getting that skin of ours (and yours) as smooth and fresh as possible. It's so very important to wash your face every night so it can do it's thing while you sleep and breathe and refresh. Read on for our picks!

Cleanser

J: SPLURGE - Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild ($20.00 CA)
    STEAL - Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser ($17.99 for 500 ml)

The Clinique cleanser is a great for those who like foaming cleansers but don't want to overstrip their skin.  I like them both but do find the Cetaphil the tiniest bit more drying.

 C: SPLURGE - Philosophy Purity Made Simple (24 fl.oz., $52/16 fl.oz., $42/8 fl.oz., $26)

Purity Made Simple is a multi-purpose product, acting as a cleanser, make-up remover and toner in one. For removing make-up, which I do nearly everyday, this is a fantastic cleanser. For the few days where I'm not wearing make-up or for first thing in the morning, it can be a little drying.

STEAL - Kibio Fresh Pureness Foam(125 mL, approx $12)
Kibio has a fresh, clean scent and I like that I can get it at Shoppers Drug Mart. It's also very effective at removing make-up and doesn't dry out my skin. It's also gentle enough to use in the morning.

Toner

J: STEAL - I don't use any!

C: STEAL - I don't use any either, although I will occasionally on summer mornings. In my opinion, toner is an unnecessary product. It does give your skin a fresh, clean feeling so if you like that, go ahead and keep using it. It certainly won't hurt your skin.

Eye Makeup Remover

J: SPLURGE - Lancome Bi-Facial ($34.00 CA for 125 ml)
It has a cult following because it works!  Despite the fact it has an oil component in it, it isn't oily at all.  It is the only remover I know to effectively remove the waterproof mascara I wear everyday.

C: STEAL - I simply wash off my eye make-up with my facial cleanser.
I don't use a separate eye make-up remover because I simply wash my whole face with a facial cleanser (Purity Made Simple works especially well for this). I am extremely cautious about my eye area as I have loose skin there naturally and I know genetically, that's where my face will age the swiftest. I find that using water and a sudsy or creamy cleanser reduces dramatically the tugging and wiping on the eye area and my make-up comes off cleanly! Even MAC's Fluidline and false eyelash glue. Of course, if I wore waterproof mascara, it may be a different story.

For Part Two and Part Three of our Skincare Splurges and Steals featuring our picks for masks, day moisturizer, night moisturizer, eye cream, exfoliators and pimple treatments click here and here.

And as always, let us know what you think, if you have any questions and what your splurge and steal picks are. The two of us have very similar skin types so we want to know what you dry-skinned, sensitive-skinned and problem-skinned folk like and love!

C & J