Mineral makeup, lip gloss with staying power, Carmen Electra's embarrassing moment

I have slightly oily skin and have found that liquid foundation often "slides" off by mid-day. I've been interested in the various mineral powder foundations that I’ve seen advertised, but I'd love to know from a more impartial source if and how they work.

Mineral based foundations came on to the market with a big bang when the company Bare Escentuals introduced their i.d. bareMinerals makeup. It seems like their CEO is always on QVC smiling away hawking her miracle “good for your skin” makeup. To be honest with you, I have been kind of lukewarm on the whole idea of mineral makeup. I find it kind of annoying that all these mineral makeup companies come out against foundation in general. It paints foundation in the light that it’s just plain awful for your skin, which it’s not. Mineral foundation presents itself as crushed minerals that are free of preservatives, talc, oil and fragrance. Which in theory sounds good for your skin, right? The tag line is that it’s “so pure, you can sleep in it.” Well, I don’t really advocate doing that, because during the day your face accumulates all kinds of dirt and bacteria that mixes with all that “pure makeup” anyway, so you are going to want to wash it off. As far as the coverage goes, it’s sheer to medium depending on how many layers you buff on with a powder brush. It’s good for all skin types because it’s oil free. Their basic mineral foundation goes for around $25. Lucky for us, more budget friendly options are available at the drugstore level because it seems that every cosmetic company lately has jumped on the mineral bandwagon. The nice folks over at L’Oreal just sent me their new mineral foundation called Bare Naturale ($12). I have to say that overall, you need a light hand to apply it, and I wouldn’t coat your entire face in it. Just dust a light layer over your t-zone, and chin or any areas that are red and uneven. Leave your forehead alone. It usually doesn’t need the coverage. So yes, if your regular foundation is sliding away mid day, it’s worth a shot to try some of these mineral foundations.

So what’s the secret to getting my lip gloss to last more than three seconds? It seems to vanish shortly after I apply it, and I want it to stay! Now, now, NOW! How can I make it?

Ah, the most common problem with lip gloss—the staying power. Or rather, the NON-staying power. Lip gloss does not have as much pigment or weight as regular lipstick and it does tend to slide off a bit. Although I have found that there are two categories of women when it comes to lip products. There are the “eaters” and the “leavers”. The “eaters” tend to unconsciously lick or bite their lips causing their lip gloss to get nibbled right off. The “leavers” don’t ever purse their lips together or absorb any of the lip gloss into their mouth, so naturally it stays on better. If you are in the first category it’s really hard to reform into a “leaver” and be conscious of your lips. What you need to do is find a lip gloss with more staying power to stand up to the task. You must layer three items. This takes a little time to do, so I only really recommend it for going out, date nights, work, or to a formal function because otherwise there is no way you are going to want to take the time if your have to get your children up and out the door at the crack of dawn for school. It’s too fussy. But, if you really need your lip gloss to hang tight, it’s worth it. First, you need to start with completely dry, clean lips. Then you need to apply a lip stain. My favorite at the moment is Tarte’s Rise & Shine Waterproof Lipstain and Plumping Lip gloss ($21).  You can find it at Tartecosmetics.com or my favorite web beauty emporium Sephora.com. It has two ends, one with a stain and the other with a long- wearing gloss. Apply one sheer coat of the stain and let it dry. It’s a pretty deep pinky shade. Then grab a neutral lip liner that is only slightly darker then your natural lip color. Lightly outline your lips and fill them in. You don’t want any distinct lines. Blend, blend, blend! The final step is to take the lip gloss and apply two thin coats, and voila! You have some seriously gorgeous glossy lips that will last. To sum it up in three easy words… Stain, Line, and Shine. Got it?

Completely Useless Celebrity Gossip With a Makeup Tie In

Oh my gosh, did you happen to catch the video of Carmen Electra, cover model and spokesdiva of Max Factor’s new line, walking the runway this past weekend? Well, she was hosting the “Max Factor Salutes Hollywood” Fashion Show, and just as she was effortlessly gliding down the catwalk in a stunning blue silk gown and about to step off stage, WHAMO! She slipped and fell right on her rear end! At least it was for a good cause. Although, I couldn’t figure out exactly which cause they were sponsoring by looking at the Max Factor website. Anyway, at least her hair and makeup were rockin’ courtesy of Kevin Paves, Jessica Simpson’s mane man, and world renowned smoky eye expert Pat McGrath. Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t take any personal satisfaction in seeing Carmen slip-up, but you just can’t feel too bad for anyone who has daily hair and makeup people at her disposal! Why can’t everyone have that?