Farmgirl Beauty Secret #51-A: Milani Infinite Liquid Liner is also COMPLETELY waterproof.

This is an addendum to Farmgirl Beauty Secret # 51. Mac Liquidlast was my go-to liner when I wanted COMPLETELY waterproof eyeliners. However, the product turns goopy fairly fast and needs to be replaced more often than I like. So recently, I started looking for a drugstore alternative. I found it in Milani Infinite liquid Liner.

The ingredient lists between Mac Liquidlast and Milani Infinite are nearly identical in terms of the main ingredients that make them waterproof. Another great thing is it doesn't contain parabens either. The shocker: I think Milani Infinite is slightly more waterproof than Mac Liquidlast! See below:

Milani Infinite liquid Liner comes in 5 colors. I have Everlast (black), Endless (a deep purple that is a dupe for one of Mac Liquidlast color) and Forever (bronzy gold that looks amazing as a WATERPROOF liquid shadow).

Lesson of the day: If you want the waterproof longevity of Mac Liquidlast but you’re saving your money for life’s finer things, head to your nearest drugstore for Milani Infinite liquid Liner.

Beauty Myth-busting: Egg white mask for glowing, poreless skin?...hmm.

Applying raw egg white on face for skin that is smooth, glowing and poreless- sounds like a typical “natural” beauty treatment you can easily find and read about online. In fact, this was a beauty tip that had gone viral on the internet about 10 years ago. I was a frequenter of a once-popular beauty forum when a poster began posting about using egg whites on her face. The person claimed that, when used daily, egg white was causing the dead skin cells on her face to peel off to reveal the most gorgeous skin she’s had since infancy- fine lines and pores diminishing; old acne scars fading on a daily basis. Shortly after, people on the forum began jumping on the “egg white mask” bandwagon. Positive progress reports and pictures were posted on the forum daily and it seemed as if the entire forum was singing its praises.

Suddenly, glowing reviews were replaced by negative reactions. People began flooding the forum with questions and concerns about breakouts. It started with a pimple here and there followed by a frenzy of clogged pores. People tried to convince each other (and themselves) their skin was “purging” but it soon became clear that having clusters of fresh acne wasn’t leading to the perfect skin they envisioned. I witnessed this unfortunate incident unfold in a matter of months but the people who experienced negative side effects continued to nurse their broken-out skin long after that. When they finally got their acne under control, it left acne scars that etched their face for years thereafter.

I have no doubt that the egg white mask yielded wonderful results for the poster who started this trend. I’m sure she was trying to share something wonderful and didn’t have bad intentions. Problem is the majority of those who tried this had broken out severely. For that reason, I have to give this beauty tip a NAY. If I recall correctly, proponents of this mask claimed that egg whites provide a good source of vitamin A to the skin so it has a similar exfoliating effect as Retin-A (although I just looked up the nutrition content of raw egg whites, it has no vitamin A). What was most mind-boggling: raw eggs contains harmful bacteria that shouldn’t be ingested; why people thought it was okay smear a harmful bacteria-based medium on their skin is beyond me.

As a huge advocate of natural and Do-it-Yourself skincare, it’s crucial that I share an example of how “natural” doesn’t always equal safe and effective. It is becoming increasingly difficult to decipher between the good and bad of natural skincare and I want to do my part in unraveling that mystery.

*WIN Longer Lashes* Lashem™ Giveaway! (Closed)

The results are in!: Congratulations to Hershley, Kae and Dyane Vang for winning the *WIN Longer Lashes* Lashem Giveaway! Thank you to all for participating and stay tuned for the next Farmgirl Giveaway.

I’ve been using Lashem religiously for the past month and it’s the only lash treatment that has strengthened my existing lashes while encouraging the growth of my baby lashes, without the itchiness and irritation I often experience with other lash treatments. It does all this without the use of prostaglandin and parabens, which is a huge plus in my book. I want you to experience exactly what I’m talking about so Lashem has offered to give away Lashem™ Measurable Difference Lash Gel to [3] of my blog followers!

How to enter:

• This Giveaway is open to readers anywhere in the world.
• Be a Farmgirl blog follower (click on “follow” tab to your right). It’s the ONLY way to contact you if you win!
• To enter, submit a comment below about why you want/need Lashem™ Measurable Difference Lash Gel! (You can submit [1] comment per day to increase your chances to win. You must enter at least [1] comment to qualify.)

• [3] winners are chosen at random.
• Lashem™ Measurable Difference Lash Gel is valued at $85 USD.
• Giveaway starts today and ends 7.20.2010 at 11.59pm PST.
• Winners contacted and announced by 7.22.2010

Good luck!

Want that | Get this!: Natural/Good-for-you alternatives to your current lemmings.

Want that: You’re itching to splurge on another MAC Mineralize Skinfinish but want to go natural with your make-up routine.

Get this!: Rejuva Baked Mineral Foundation has the swirls and sheen reminiscent of MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish but contains only the following ingredients:

Mica, Sericite Mica, Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) seed oil, Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius) seed oil, Lavandula Angustifolia flower extract, Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris) extract, Green Tea (Camelia Sinensis) extract, Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate), Rosemary Leaf (Rosemarinus Officinalis) extract, Magnolia Bark (Magnolia Officinalis) extract, Iron Oxides

(Bonus: no micronized or “nano-sized” minerals were used to make this baked-in-Italy mineral powder- double plus in my book.)

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Want that: The Nars Multiples are calling your name but you’ve sworn off complicated ingredients that could suffocate your pores.

Get this!: Vapour Beauty offers an entire line of stick-form mineral makeup made with certified organic ingredients, natural pigments and skin-nourishing botanical oils. Their Solar Translucent Bronzer easily rivals Nars Multiples in Waikiki and South Beach. I also love their Stratus Instant Skin Perfector when I want to achieve a velvety smooth finish without using conventional primers (this smooths over fine lines around my eyes!). And with ingredient lists so clean, they won’t clog pores like regular cream or stick makeup products do.

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Want that: You want to try Latisse for fuller, longer lashes but could do without the prescription substance and prostaglandin. It runs the risk of darkened skin around eyes and changing of eye color- No, thank you!

Get this!: Lashem is an alternative lash growth treatment that utilizes patented Lipo Oligo-peptide, Pro-Vitamin B-5 and Biotin to promote 40% longer lashes in 2 weeks without the use of prostagladin. The formula is boosted with a blend of botanical extracts with NO harsh preservatives like parabens and methylchloroisothiazalinone. I like to use this on both my lashline (to combat daily damages from mascara use) and brows (for, well, brows!).

Here’s my disclaimer: I write extremely researched reviews after extensive, self-conducted testing. I do not review products I dislike; it's a waste of time and typing skills. This review contains products sent by company due to interest in feedbacks. My first priority is to my readers; company gratis does not guarantee placement. Affiliate and non-affiliate links are provided to inform readers of where to purchase products. All in all, you can be sure that items seen on my website are the very few products that qualify for recommendation after rigorous testing.

Farmgirl Beauty Secret # 11: Aloe vera gel + favorite foundation = ideal summer time tinted moisturizer.

STOP yourself before you plot your summer makeup haul! Contrary to popular belief, conventional tinted moisturizers are not the ideal makeup option for the summer time, especially for oily skin types. They are every bit as "makeupy" as foundations, only with less pigments and MORE FILLERS (and we don't want that, do we?). The moisturizing agents and fillers used to make tinted moisturizers are not nearly as sophisticated as the ingredients in your regular moisturizer. You might as well mix your favorite moisturizer with your favorite foundation.

If you want something that is truly lightweight and sheer, mix 1 serving of your favorite foundation with a dollop of aloe vera gel. Aloe vera gel blends beautifully with foundations. The result: a gel-textured face tint that evens out skin tone and controls oil while providing a coveted, see-through glow fit for summer.

Smell This: A Zaftig Woman (AZW) Perfume Body Sprays and Triple Scented Soy Tarts

If you are a frequenter of online beauty paradise Makeupalley, you may be aware of the bottomless wealth of information that is on that website. Not only do they have the biggest collection of reviews on beauty products, they have forums dedicated to the many spectrums of beauty & cosmetics. Say you have a beauty question you need an answer to THIS MINUTE, simply post your question in the related forum and within seconds, you are provided with answers from expert beauty junkies.

My most recent MUA addiction is the bath & body forum. There’s a very interesting phenomenon happening there. Fragrance enthusiasts buy amazingly scented bath & body products from these online shops that specialize in all things scented. When their order arrives, they describe each scent in detail. I’m addicted to reading these scents descriptions. You don’t have to read much to figure out that A Zaftig Woman is the forum favorite. This shop is known for its delightful body puddings, maximum scented soy tarts and a scent menu of over 300 scents. This is way beyond Demeter, my friend. If you desire to smell like Lemon Buko Pie, Lemon Buko Pie you shall smell. So you’re sick of run-of-the-mills room fragrance from your local Yankee Candle Company, perhaps you need a Soy Tart in Cinnamon Doughnut, Strawberry Colada or Mexican Cocoa.

After reading these captivating scent descriptions and raving reviews about AZW, you can imagine my excitement when I was given an opportunity by AZW to try their scents. I’ve been on a fragrance kick lately and couldn’t have been happier to peruse their insanely large scent menu and choose my choice scents. To be completely honest, I wanted to smell like everything on the menu. Her scents sound amazing on their own but I was most excited about layering them with each other and with my signature scent to customize a scent that is all my own. Here are the scents I received; I will list the menu description and my impression of each scent.

Perfume Body Spray:

Tupelo Honey: This is an amazingly pure honey scent. No floral notes, no fruity overtones, and no spices. Only sweet, pure, rich amber honey, with nothing else blended into it.

This scent starts off very powdery on my skin but after a few hours it does mellow out to a true sweet honey scent.

Ooh La La Vanilla: AZW exclusive. I blended this for myself and received so many compliments that I had to add it. A special Spirituese/Tihota blend that is a delight for the senses!

This is absolutely delicious! True to its name, this vanilla is not boring at all. This would a great for those who love vanilla scents but is looking for a bit of oomph. I can’t pinpoint the note that makes this vanilla scent different; that’s what makes it interesting.

Yuzu: Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit very much like a grapefruit, but with an even sweeter aroma. Perfect for spring & summer!

This is one of my favorites of the bunch. This is the most intriguing citrus scents I’ve ever smelled. It’s clean, fresh and sweet at the same time. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

Indian Rice Pudding: AZW exclusive. A very comforting blend of creamy rice pudding infused with rose petals.

How do you resist a name like that? I love Rice Pudding so I just HAD to know how this smelled like. It smells just as the description suggests: rice pudding + rose petals. I would be really interested in knowing how the rice pudding scent smells like on its own. I love the scent of rose water so this is right up my alley.

Fluffy Pink Blanket: AZW exclusive. A delightfully warm baby fresh scent with a pink sugar note.

I heard ladies rave about this scent even before I received my package. It’s not a favorite for me though because I can’t stand the smell of baby powder unless it’s on a baby. If you love baby powder, this would be the perfect scent for you; the pink sugar note really makes the scent into a more complex, feminine scent as opposed to straight-up googoo gaga. So yes, I can see why ladies on Makeupalley are raving about this.

Ginger Milk: A delicious infusion of luscious ginger, nutmeg and allspice blended with creamy milk. This is a silky smooth scent with hints of exotic musk and sandalwood.

If I could revise a scent, I would love to take out all the extra notes from this. I love ginger scents and I love milk scents. Having those 2 notes blend exclusively with be amazing. And yes, I believe if you ask, AZW would be happy to customize any scent. They can even adjust the scent level to your liking. The neatest thing: the labels can even be customized with Braille with no additional cost. I have to mention though, this scent irritated my skin (this is the only one I had a reaction to). If you'd like to try this scent, ask for it in a lower fragrance level. This is working nicely as a room fragrance; 1 or 2 sprays are all you need to scent the room.

Triple Scented Soy Tarts: I am absolutely AMAZED by their Soy Tarts. I love the fact that they don’t use any paraffin in their candles and tarts; they are made to be biodegradeable and long-lasting with soybeans farmed right here in the USA. And the price is so right at $1.25 a pop. I’ve been using these in my truck and I think they make the most amazing car scent. The Soy Tarts heat up perfectly inside the car and even when it’s cold, the Soy Tarts still have amazing throw. I’ve been taking lots of deep breaths in my truck lately. The following are the ones I’ve tried so far:

Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine: AZW exclusive. Layers of soft coconut meringue alternate with a dark chocolate and rum ganache filling.

This is soooooo good. Chocolate and Coconut goodness with something extra thrown in to make it more interesting.

Orange Cupcake: Sweet oranges and creamy vanilla cake batter. Best Seller!

This is a favorite of mine. It’s the perfect combination of orange and cake. The scent is so true, my mouth literally water when I smell this!

Hawaiian Sweet Bread: Fresh bread with hints of sweet pineapple and sugar.

Yum! Pineapple is definitely the dominant scent here but there’s a bit of gourmand in there too to make it more than just a pineapple scent.

Shopping tip: Before you get yourself mesmerized by the AZW scent menu, sign up for their email newsletter for a 10% off promo code. Once you’re ready to choose your scents, you’ll have a 10% off coupon ready to be used. Happy shopping!

Beauty Myth-busting: Shrinking Pores?

If you’ve ever read on bottles of potions claiming to shrink pores, it’s marketing fluff. Pores will not reduce in size, period. You can, however, minimize the appearance of large pores. Stay away from silicone-filled primers (if the finish of the product feels smooth, velvety and “coated”, it has some type of silicone). It’ll look pretty for now, but the silicone will build up in your pores over time. Once the residue oxidizes with dead skin cells, it will appear dark, resulting in blackheads. Using a good mineral foundation can be beneficial (my fave is Mineral Basics Complete Cover Concealer). When your skin appears flawless, you’ll be less inclined to fuss over the pores. Less fuss equals less picking at your skin, which results in healthier skin. A good mineral powder will also protect your skin from environmental elements.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, keeping your skin hydrated from the inside-out is the key to having smaller-looking pores- drink at least 8 glasses of water each day and try eating flaxseed or flaxseed oil daily. Our pores become overactive with producing oil when skin is dehydrated. Keeping skin hydrated and nourished from the inside out improves the condition of your skin over time, resulting in less overactive pores. Also, keep in mind that pores are there for a reason, they play a vital part in relieving our skin of toxins in our body. There’s no need to wear an “oil-controlling” or “pore-minimizing” lotion during the night; allow your pores to expel impurities while you sleep.

Winner of the Bioelements Skincare Giveaway! + Long weekend with Flight of the Conchords & Beard Papa's

Hi everyone! Before I head out today, I'd like to congratulate Rocaille Writes for winning the Bioelements Skincare Wardrobe Giveaway. How exciting it is to pick out a new Bioelements skincare regimen tailored for your skintype! Happy skincare-shopping, Rocaille.

A big THANKS to Bioelements for providing such an amazing opportunity and thank you to my blog readers for participating. I'm looking forward to more exciting giveaways so I can share with you other farmgirl-approved skincare products. Stay tuned!

And happy long Memorial Day weekend to all my U.S. readers! I'm heading out in a few hours to see Flight of the Conchords live at the Hollywood Bowl- very excited! We'll also be having some pre-concert dessert at Beard Papa's (Best cream puffs EVER.). Make it a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Bioelements Skincare Wardrobe Giveaway! + My Fave Beauty Tip of the Moment

Can you believe it? It’s been a year since I started my blog! To celebrate, I’d like to revamp your skincare routine! Get your skin in tip-top summer shape with Bioelements, one of my favorite skincare lines. (1) blog follower will be randomly chosen to win a Bioelements skincare wardrobe worth $250. The lucky winner will speak one-on-one with a Bioelements Esthetician about his/her skintype, skincare concerns and select their ideal skincare wardrobe.

How to qualify:

1. Be a Brilliant Farmgirl’s Beauty Secrets™ blog follower!
2. For an additional 3 entries in the drawing, share your favorite beauty secret! It can be anything pertaining to skincare, makeup, health and fashion. Simply leave a comment with your beauty tip of the moment.

That’s all there is to it! Contest will close on 5.29.10 at 11.59pm PST and winner will be announced by 5.30.10. This giveaway is open to all U.S. Residents (For international blog followers: most of my future giveaways will be open to all, so stay tuned!). If winner is under 18, parental consent will be requested.

To kick things off, let me share my favorite beauty tip of the moment. I've been looking for ways to add volume to my thin brows so a friend recently shared her brow-perfecting secret: apply brow powder in 2 different natural shades to add dimensions and natural bulk to brows. Now I know why many brow enhancers often come in 2 complimentary shades (thanks, Susan!).

Drugstore alternatives for my makeup must-haves

Not long after sharing my go-to beauty stash with you all, I left for a last-minute trip and forgot to pack my blue beauty stash bag. Now, I’m known for being an absentminded packer, often forgetting essentials like socks and underwear (gasp!). But when it comes to my beauty stash, I check and double check. Not only does it contain beauty necessities like mascaras and SPF powder, it also holds my skincare arsenal. Unless I’m begging for a face full of rashes and pimples, I absolutely cannot subject my skin to drugstore or department store skincare products. Ok, so maybe I’m being a tad melodramatic, but I wasn’t thrilled about dealing with bad skin while traveling.

I was stunned for about 2 minutes while I contemplated the detriments my skin was about to suffer for the next 1.5 weeks without my essentials. But I quickly became excitedly distracted by the prospect of drugstore makeup shopping. I’d like to share with you the drugstore goodies that came immediately to mind as great substitutes for my current cosmetic faves. This fling with drugstore makeup has re-familiarized me with some great drugstore brands and I’m seriously considering introducing some of these products into my current beauty stash.

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Pressed Powder SPF 16 in Translucent: If you’re interested in mineral makeup and only have access to drugstores, I highly recommend that you check out this entire line. Not only do they have a full range of mineral face and eye makeup, the texture is high quality. Even though they all contain mica, an ingredient that usually make me itch, the mica in these products does not induce itchiness. I first bought the loose version of this. It was velvety smooth going on but the lightest shade was still too dark for me. The pressed version still has the velvety smooth texture, it is more matte and glides on like a creamy powder. You can really pile this on and not feel cakey, which makes it ideal for touch-ups. The physical SPF 16 is such a plus. My only reservation about this product is I don’t know if Physicians Formula uses micronized minerals (which should be avoided). I have reached out to PF about this and hopefully I’ll have an answer for you guys by today. Tip: Physicians Formula always includes a signature crappy brush with their face powders- please keep this away from your face. It is rough and does not do this powder justice. You’re better off buying some smooth cotton squares and storing it in the convenient brush compartment for hygienic applications. Edited to add: Finally received news about whether PF Mineral Wear uses micronized minerals- Yes, they do. This is unfortunate news for me as I was really liking this powder. I think I'll keep this as a back-up, perhaps I'll store it in my luggage in case absentmindedness strikes again.

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner in Blackest Black: I knew there are currently no drugstore polymer liquid liners so I wanted to find a stable liquid liner that is dark, performs well, stays all day and washes off with no residue left on my lashline. This one passed the test with flying colors. I just recently began winging my lines and its sponge tip does it with ease. One downside: I get extremely oily around my eyes and while the line stays perfectly intact on my upper lashline, it does transfer a bit onto my under eye area. People who don’t have freakishly oily skin should be fine though.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Eyeliner in Black Night: I usually like to smoke out my eyes with a little bit of grey or charcoal eyeshadow. After buying and returning several, I realized that the pencil I keep in my purse is better than any of the dark eyeshadows I tried. This pencil is fairly soft so it performs almost like a jumbo pencil. It’s in a base of jojoba oil and beeswax so it is going to fade and crease after a while, but it fades and creases in the most natural-looking way, making your eyes look like it’s naturally shaded.

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Lash Extension Effect Mascara in Black: In the U.S., there are currently 2 drugstore polymer tubing mascaras on the market- this one and Prestige Lash Matrix. The L’Oreal version is far superior than the Pretige version in every way. Only downside: the brush is too big; I was tempted to trim the bristles down with scissors! Tip: This is advertised as a 2-step mascara- you are to apply the white base first, tubing mascara second. For me, I like to apply it 3-step to really maximize the volume- 1. Tubing mascara, 2. White base, 3. Tubing mascara. I’m not crazy about the ingredients in the white base so this really helps to trap the white base between 2 layers of the tubing mascara.