Marissa's Pick of the Week - Lioele Pore Clean & Tightening Pack

A couple weeks ago Promise Phan (one of the most talented makeup gurus on YouTube) posted a link to http://prettyandcute.com/ on Facebook. There, I discovered a magical brand of Korean cosmetics called Lioele. It's a fairly new company whose business model is the Cinderella story (evident in their packaging). Lioele believes that true beauty can be found in everyone.

Lately, I've been seeing pores that I never saw before.
"Great," I said. "I'm aging."

Thus began the search for pore shrinking skincare products that wouldn't dry me out in the winter. On the Pretty and Cute website, I saw the Pore Clean & Tightening Pack ($20). The picture showed 2 tubes so I thought,
"This looks interesting. It's like a 2-step pore tightening system."
Well I was wrong. Only 1 box came. So then I thought,
"Okay? So maybe it's like a gel peel or something."
Wrong again.
What it actually is, is a mask. Yup. Just a mask. I was really disappointed, but then I tried it.

The clay mask was a dark gray color that had the same consistency as other masks I've used. It did have a distinct smell of leeks. Leeks aren't in the ingredients, but I don't know what else to compare it to. It was very fresh, crisp, and green smelling. Not quite grass. Not quite celery. just plant like.

Here is a list of some ingredients and what it's supposed to do:

During application, the scent of the mask started to calm me. I was liking it more and more. When it started to dry, I could feel it going to work. It felt almost as if there were little suction cups sucking all the crap out of my face. It didn't hurt or feel itchy like some other masks do.

(Ever wonder what your skin would look like when you're 80?)

Rinsing off the mask was easier than other masks. I didn't have to scrub or rub it off. My skin felt really smooth and soft. I didn't feel any film or oils or anything at all, just my skin. Even though it felt clean, it wasn't squeaky and tight. I could easily glide my finger across my cheeks without skipping. It's hard to explain. My skin just had a nice slip to it without being slippery? My skin looked brighter and more radiant.

Here's how I knew it worked:

After I completed the process, I noticed a little blackhead and blemish that I didn't have before. 

Here's a tip- If you use a deep cleansing mask for the first time and you don't have any new blackheads or blemishes, then it's probably not working all that well.

In the end, I really liked this mask. I would have never tried it, if it wasn't for the misleading picture and mysterious lack of info on the website. I already have a couple masks that I like, but this mask is definitely a favorite. It's fresh, gave great results, and is perfect for my acne prone skin that turns dry in the winter. *Two thumbs up*

Ask Marissa...Balancing Extreme Combination Skin

Jane Doe: I have normal / combo skin and in winter it usually gets a little dry...but this winter it's behaving very differently. My skin is very dry in the cheeks and around the eyes, enough to where it is tight and uncomfortable most of the day. But my t-zone is just as oily as it would be in the summer and seems to be more prone to breakouts than usual. Any suggestions for how to tackle this? My current system is to cleanse with a normal cleanser, use a mild alcohol-free toner and moisturize with philosophy hope in a jar / eye hope for the eyes. I also exfoliate 4x a week and do an at home peel every other week.

Me: I would say stop using Hope in a Jar. Any oil on your face will make the oily areas worse. I don't want you to waste your money though, so just use it at night with an oil control lotion on your t-zone. During the day, I would suggest MAC's Studio Moisture Cream ($32). It's safe for oily skin, but is very moisturizing. It gives time released moisture throughout the day and has spinach to help circulation. It will also add radiance to dry dull skin. Keep using your cleanser for normal skin, but switch to one with a toner in it. A toner's main purpose is to pH balance your skin after using a cleanser that is too acidic. All of MAC's cleansers a pH balanced, so you don't need a toner. No tone r= no irritating dry skin and no under-toning oily skin. Try MAC's Creamwash ($19.50) or Green Gel cleanser ($19.50). Both are ok for all skin types.

Jane Doe: Perfect thanks! I haven't tried any of MACs skincare maybe it's time to give it a go. I think I'll have to grab something from the Champale collection too.

Me: Champale was made for you! All of MAC skincare is made with natural ingredients. No synthetics. No animal testing. All cruelty free.


Jane Doe: I love everything in that collection, I really want the quad though. It reminds me a little of my fav MAC quad Liza eyes which is really really old but just very pretty neutrals. Does the MAC skincare smell good?


Me: Some of it has no fragrance. I don't remember what Studio Moisture cream smells like, but the Green Gel cleanser is very crisp and clean. It's got green tea and algae extract.

Ask Marissa...Acne Scars & Rosacea

Jane Doe:  I have horrible skin and I have tried a lot of cleansers and toners ect for it I look forward to trying a mask I hope it will help, 'cause so far nothing works and it is embarrassing. I have even had women tell me you need to wash your face more. It's Rosacea and acne scaring I tell them but still get the looks of question .


Me: I can only really tell you how to cover up and soothe rosacea. Only dermatologist prescribed treatment can cure or control it. 

As for acne scarring, you might want to try Stri-Vectin. It's pretty pricey ($135), but it lasts a long time and works wonders. Within 2 weeks of using stri-vectin, my purple stretch marks turned white. Stretch marks are scars too. For something less expensive, start out with Maderma (you can get it at Walgreens, $30) until you notice results are not improving anymore, then move up to stri-vectin. You will need to use a very good moisturizer on top of Maderma and Stri-Vectin, because there is a lot of retinol in it and will make your skin feel dry and uncomfortable.

When you cover up acne scars, always wear a makeup primer underneath your foundation. This will fill in any lines, wrinkles, pores and acne scars so that your skin will have an even texture. Since you have a lot of redness, I suggest using the Sephora brand green corrector primer ($15). The green hue will neutralize any redness. Follow with your foundation, and setting powder.

Jane Doe: Ok I will do when I can find one in my area and TY for the advice. Doctors are way to expensive for me right now to go to for skin care. I used to have a face wash with tea tree oil in it that worked wonders for the Rosacea but it is no longer made I have looked for a new one to try but can't find anything like it. Never thought of using Maderma on my face I have some and will be using it thank you.


Me: If you can find pure tea tree essential oil, one drop in your cleanser and/or moisturizer should do the trick.

Hot Topic Makeup Haul (with videos)

Yes. Yes. I know. I know. Hot Topic is just another corporation that exploits a subversive culture, and flourishes off the allowance of adolescent posers.

Whatever.

Remember the Kitschkween (that's me for those of you who don't know) motto: "Like what you like and don't be sorry for it."

A person shouldn't have to prove their authenticity to anyone. If they like Britney Spears AND Siouxsie and the Banshees, leave them alone. If they have torn clothing with safety pins all over the place AND like to wear Nike shoes, leave them the hell alone. We are all trapped in a world where if a subculture is discovered by a greedy corporate monster, they will find a way to make it mainstream. So please. If you shop at Hot Topic because you don't know where else to find awesome clothes and accessories or discover music you can't hear on the radio, then don't be ashamed. You can just quote the above highlighted statement when someone busts on you for being a poser.

Moving right along...

Here are parts 1 and 2 of my review:





Since you can't really get a full sense of the swatches, here are some pictures:

Lip/Eye Pencils

Eye Crayons

Integrity. Love. Unity. - Why I Am a Kerli Fan

Deep in the woods of Estonia, a little Moonchild was born. Her free spirit, big heart and artistic soul could hardly confine this whimsical creature to such a tiny place in the world. Keeping her integrity, her passion for self expression made her into the surreal beauty known as Kerli.
Jay (hair guy for Pomps n' Gloss) was who first told me about Kerli. Knowing my love for gothic-lolita style he said
 "You have to check her out on myspace. You would just DIE!!!"
And I did. I swear I couldn't stop squealing. Then something magical happened. I pressed PLAY on the music box thingy, and it was all over. Not only was she the closest thing to my perfect doll, but her music was awesome too! I was hooked- a Kerli fan for life.
As I did a little more Kerli Googling, I found that I was drawn to her makeup (which she does herself). It was so clean, yet fantasy like. Everything she wore (which she mostly makes) and sung (which she writes all of) was an inspiration to me.

Now for the icing on the cake...
Kerli started the movement of The Moonchildren. A Moonchild is "one who belongs to a community of integrity, love and unity." She is very spiritual and grounded. She is crafty and resourceful. She is original and generous.
If you know nothing about this amazing artist, you can learn more about her on her Moonchild Academy website where my makeup tutorial was featured. She offers free downloads of her music and you can see all her videos (all the concepts are hers) on youtube. She makes music videos, craft tutorials and video logs.
I hope you all fall in love with her like I did. She really is amazing. There is something for everyone to like about Kerli.

Kerli Inspired Gothic Lolita Makeup Tutorial from Marissa Rhoades on Vimeo.

Buy a lipstick for World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day. I know not everyone has time to volunteer, but it only takes a couple minutes to buy a lipstick. One MAC Viva Glam lipstick ($14.50) can really make a difference. 100% of every Viva Glam Sale goes to the M.A.C. AIDS Fund. Here are just some of the things 1 lipstick can contribute to men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS:

ONE Viva Glam Lipstick=
8 home cooked meals
1 b-day or x-mas party pack for a child who lost a parent to HIV/AIDS.
 A year's worth of school supplies for a child affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa
3 boxes of a weeks supply of fruits and veggies in Canada
2 meals for 2 children at an orphanage affected by HIV?AIDS in South Africa
1 weekly grocery shop (4 bags of food) for 2 people affected by HIV/AIDS

to see more info, visit www.macaidsfund.org

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Moisture Mask for Acne Prone Skin

"Moisture" is a scary word for people with acne prone skin. The fact is, that even the oiliest skin needs it. Finding the right balance can be difficult, though. Too much moisture causes breakouts. Lack of moisture causes excess shine. Well, for those of you who always have at least one breakout somewhere on your face, but feel dehydrated at the same time, Laura Mercier has the perfect moisture mask for you.
Laura Mercier's Intensive Moisture Mask ($32) is an oil free water-based hydrating formula that will leave your skin feeling baby soft. It's a green gel that feels super light weight, so you can pile it on as thick as you want and won't breakout. After cleansing your face, wear the mask for 5-10 minutes then rinse or towel off with warm water. After using this mask, not only did my skin feel soft and extremely comfortable, I was also more radiant. I've broken down some of the ingredients so you all can see that this mask is truly for all skin types and addresses all concerns.

moisture:
sunflower oil
sweet almond oil
shea butter

clarity/radiance:
grapefuit extract
rice protein
saxifragra extract

soothing/calming:
cucumber extract
barley extract
wheat germ extract
rose water

antioxidants:
tomato extract
vitamin e

firming:
coneflower extract