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How to Do Lipstick with the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System

March 22, 2011 · Leave a Comment

I’m a butterfingers. So I was a little skeptical that I would be able to use the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System for lip color without getting it outside the lip line.

Sometimes, I love being wrong. This is one of those times.

Today I tried using a Stream Cosmetics blush, Soft Violet, on my lips, mixed in with a drop of Pearlizer (we will talk about how to mix colors in the Stream Cosmetics airbrush stylus in the next few days).

It’s amazing how easy it is to get sharp precision and intense lip color from an airbrush. I would recommend the medium setting held close to the lips, and start in the middle of the lip until you get used to the feeling of the stream of air on your lips (it’s a little weird feeling, which surprised me since I really didn’t notice it when I used the system on my eye area), and then do the outline of your lips when you are more comfortable.

Find the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System and Stream Cosmetics Soft Violet Blush at StreamOfBeauty.com!

Soft Violet Lips from the Stream Cosmetics Airbrush System

New Product: Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK

March 18, 2011 · 2 Comments

I’m a pale skinned gal. There is no debating this point, it is just an absolute truth. And if you are practically transluscent like me, no matter how careful one is with sunscreen, it’s pretty likely that sun damage will crop up at some point. And it isn’t limited to us pale chicks either – Allure magazine has a several page article this month on various techniques to get rid of uneven skintone.

And if, like me, you are a long-term retinol user, it can be a double-edged sword: retinols lighten age spots, but they also increase photosensitivity. So, it’s possible to end up with some skin tone variance that you’d prefer to get rid of regardless of whether you use retinols or not.

There are several excellent products on the market right now to combat hyperpigmentation. I was thrilled to try out Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK, another great product in the Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase line. This is a reasonably priced serum that produced jaw-dropping results.

When I first starting testing Skin Tone Perfecting Serum out, I put it on and a few hours passed. When I went by a mirror, I noticed my skin was tighter and more dewy. On the third night, I noticed an ever so slight lightening of a dark spot on my cheekbone. I thought I was imaginging things – it just seemed far too soon to have any effect. But sure enough, over the course of the next two weeks, the spot continued to lighten (I’d estimate about 10% in the 14 days) and is progressively lightening still. I’m really excited to see over time how much change occurs. On the whole, my skin seems far more even, including in spots where I don’t have obvious hyperpigmentation issues – my skin looks a bit airbrushed before I even put a speck of makeup on!

Skin Tone Perfecting Serum has great ingredients: Kinetin, the staple of the Kinerase and Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase line, the oh so hydrating hyaluronic acid, Sepiwhite MSH, which is a pigmentation inhibitor, Sepivinol, a potent anti-oxidant, and SymWhite, an effective skin lightener that targets UV-induced skin pigmentation. That’s a great lineup for a great price.

Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK has made it into my daily routine. I think I”ve found the perfect non-irritating hyperpigmentation sacking combon: I use Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum in the morning under makeup, Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK at night under moisturizer, and Retin-A a few nights a week (right now my skin gets irritated if I use Retin-A more than that), and my skin is getting all the more even day by day.

Find Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Skin Tone Perfecting Serum XK at Walgreens.com.

New Product: Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Wrinkle Repair Daily Lotion SPF 30

March 7, 2011 · Leave a Comment

If you’ve been to StyleChicks before, you know I never leave the house without sunscreen. Given the fact that my skin tone is pretty much best described as “see-through”, it’s a bit of a necessity. And if I can find a high-SPF sunscreen that provides anti-aging benefits, I’m thrilled.

So I eagerly tried out Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Wrinkle Repair Daily Lotion SPF 30. As I mentioned in my review of Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Hydrabalance Foaming Cleanser, I have been a loyal fan of the Kinerase line for many years now, and I love how Kinetin, the star ingredient in the Kinerase and Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase lines, soothes my skin, as well as how bright and perky my skinÂ looks after using it. So if you added a SPF to a great Kinetin-containing lotion? Perfect!

Now, when I first started using the original Kinerase line, the last thing on my 20-something mind was wrinkles. And thanks to great skin products and prescription retinols, my skin is still pretty smooth for my age. But…wrinkles and how to prevent them from getting worse does cross my mind now, especially when my skin is dry. Kinetin improves the skin’s ability to skin cells to stay healthy without irritation, and soothes skin while it works. In addition, Wrinkle Repair Daily Lotion contains Symrepair 2%, which increases the skin’s ability to maintain moisture, and QuenchT 2%, which also soothes the skin.

Of course, texture and performance are key in choosing both a sunscreen and a daily lotion. Previous to Wrinkle Repair I had been using La Roche Posay’s Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid for Face, which as the name implies, is an ultra light liquid, and it absorbs really quickly.

Wrinkle Repair is a cream, but it absorbs just as fast and leaves a smooth, hydrated, semi-matte finish. My skin looks dewy and plumped immediately without a hint of greasiness – it simply looks young.

Makeup sits on top of the skin beautifully with Wrinkle Repair on, and since the formula is pretty light, I can use a serum underneath and still not get sticky or greasy. I love the very subtle citrus scent which dissipates when the lotion absorbs. It’s simply a great sunscreen and wrinkle-fighting lotion rolled into one.

I plan on buying this product in the future. In the days I’ve been testing it out, I’ve had a few circumstances of being in rooms with extremely dry, forced heat that would typically leave my skin parched, but the moisture in my skin held up with Wrinkle Repair Daily Lotion. I’m thrilled!

The directions say to use a dime sized amount, which will more than cover your face – I tend to stick with using a nickel sized amount just out of habit, but be sure to use at least a dime sized amount.

Find Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase Wrinkle Repair Daily Lotion SPF 30 at Walgreens for $27.99.

New Product: Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase HydraBalance Foaming Cleanser

March 2, 2011 · Leave a Comment

I’ve been feeling a little Goldilocks-esque lately when it comes to facial cleansers. Some are really moisturizing, but take too much scrubbing to wash off. Others wash off easily, but don’t do a thorough job when it comes to taking off all my makeup and sunscreen.

And then I found Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase HydraBalance Foaming Cleanser.

Based on past experiences, I generally shy away from foaming cleansers since the ones I’ve tried tend to be drying. However, I have used Kinerase products for years now, so I had hope that their mass market line in connection with Dr. LeWinn would live up to it’s claim of being not just non-drying, but hydrating. And it does. My skin is soft, hydrated, and bright after cleansing. And as far as taking off makeup? It is exceptional. No scrubbing needed, it just takes everything off on both face and delicate eye skin. I’ve been using a liquid liner lately that is fabulous, but it is pretty tough to take off at the end of the day. Hydrabalance Foaming Cleanser takes it off easily and with no tugging. Yay!

HydraBalance Foaming Cleanser is soap-free, which will make your dermatologist happy (mine was the one who turned me on to the Kinerase line in the first place years ago). But I can’t say enough how well it cleanses while it treats the skin with great ingredients like Kinetin (which is in the whole Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase line in the same amounts as the regular Kinerase line). I’ve tried products from both the Kinerase line and other lines that contain Kinetin, and they are always so soothing to the skin. It encourages cellular turnover without irritation – a great alternative to retinoids. It also contains SK-Influx to protect your skin’s moisture barrier, and Aquaxyl to hydrate the skin. All in all, a great way to start your skincare for the day and end it at night.

In an act of sisterly love, I let Lyn use the cleanser, and her comments were interesting – she said that she’s never used a foaming cleanser that felt soft. She hit the nail on the head – there is something that feels kind of rough about most foaming cleansers, but HydraBalance Foaming Cleanser isn’t that way. It is gentle, soft, and luxurious feeling. I’ve been using it with my Clarisonic – it feels like a spa cleansing!

I’m pretty thrilled with this cleanser. We’ll be reviewing other products from the Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase line in the upcoming weeks (spoiler alert: Skin Tone Perfecting Serum is so effective it’s kinda spooky), and I will purchase HydraBalance Foaming Cleanser in the future. And since my derm loves the regular KInerase line, I can’t wait to tell her about this very affordable and very effective new line!

Find Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase HydraBalance Foaming Cleanser at Walgreens for $10.49.