Primer Wars: Paul & Joe, Cover FX, Mally Beauty, MUFE & Josie Maran

Welcome to today's edition of Primer Wars! Not sure what it's all about? Check it out and learn the rules here.

The next group of primers to compete are:



Paul and Joe Protective Foundation Primer vs. Cover FX Brite Prep

Mally Beauty Perfect Prep vs. Josie Maran Argan Oil Primer

Cover FX Skin Prep vs. Make Up For Ever Microperfecting Primer


Voting for your preferred face-prepper means they could be granted a stay and live to fight another day, even if they weren't the victor when I tested them.





















Paul and Joe Protective Foundation Primer trumped Cover FX's Brite Prep, which is another win in the column of the non-silicone primers. I love Cover FX and its bearberry to help tone melasma, but Paul and Joe performed better when it came to keeping makeup on all day.

Mally Beauty Perfect Prep and Josie Maran Argan Oil Primer both scored a 9.5 from me in terms of stick-to-itive-ness. Both primers held up equally well in the humid Baltimore summer weather. If I had to choose, I would say Mally inched out Josie Maran, but by less than an inch. I need your help to determine the winner! Be sure to vote for either Mally or Josie Maran, based on your experiences. This one is up to you!

Make Up For Ever Microperfecting Primer beat Cover FX Skin Prep, showing me once again that my silicone-loving ways may not be best if my goal is to achieve long wear. (But it does make the skin look so good - it's a hard trade off.)

Please vote and RT to make sure your favorite brand doesn't get voted out! Voting will be tabulated in seven days. Check back for more Primer Wars soon or click here to see what you missed.

I purchased the following primers: MUFE and Josie Maran. I bugged sales people for the following samples of product: Paul and Joe. I received product for review from these companies: Cover FX and Mally Beauty.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2009-2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Summer Tips, Finds and Tricks

Here are some tips I have discovered for the new products that have come out for the summer season (and some reminders about old favorites).


Want to make your eyes pop even more? After you apply mascara, while it's still wet, add Tan Lines, a beautiful bronze shadow from Fusion of Color, to a flat, wide eye shadow brush. Carefully blink your wet lashes into the mascara and voila! Noticeably tan lashes that beam bronze. Try it!


Want to add the appearance of diamonds to the end of your lashes? Save thousands and use Tarina Tarantino's Sparklecity Pure instead. You only need a little bit and it looks really pretty. It's like a little surprise for your lashes!


Check out Dalton's Illuminizing Brightening Wand. With a quick swipe of the pointed tip applicator, you can get a gorgeous bit of glow around your eyes! This color isn't quite white and it isn't quite gold. It's more like a peachy/flesh-toned shimmer with a touch of platinum. I swear it changes color a bit once you apply it.

It doesn't really add a color around your eyes, it is more of a pigment that reflects the light to brighten your eyes. It can work as a shadow or as an easy way to add a shimmery rim around your eyes or play up the inner corner. Keep it in your purse to dot above the bow of your lips- it will make your pout stand out. Beauteous!

While not summer specific, I recently picked up Too Faced's Lip Insurance Lip Primer, which actually extends the life of lip gloss to something respectable. Who doesn't want a perfect pout in the summer? This primer extended the life of my gloss up to two hours (from twenty minutes). It couldn't be easier to be lovely and lax at the same time!



My new lip stick obsession is NARS Love Devotion. I went to Sephora one afternoon intent on finding a lip stick color I don't already own (which is nearly impossible). After about an hour, I settled on Love Devotion.


It's a bright mango color that goes on much more sheer than you would anticipate. It looks beautiful and is a nice change from my other summer colors.


Your hands might just show your age more than any other body part. Protect them by swiping on an SPF each morning for protection during your morning drive. Even better, keep something that is affected by heat, like bareMinerals Natural SPF 30 Sunscreen, in the car (or in your purse) at all times. This SPF and brush combo are a quick way to make sure your hands and décolleté can be protected at all times. Remember, no product in the world will do more to prevent aging than a sunscreen!



(Paul & Joe Beauté Eye Gloss in Celestial, swatched. Gorgeous!)


Be sure to pick up Paul and Joe Beaute' Eye Gloss. The Eye Gloss will give your eyes a shimmery gleam that doesn't fade. This goes perfect with a matte bronzer and a deeply-hued glossy lip for a perfect night out after a day at the beach.

Finally, don't forget about two of my favorite face luminizers from Fresh: Twilight and High Noon. Twilight adds a beautiful platinum sheen to your skin and High Noon adds a tranquil golden color. You can't go wrong with either of these (and they smell fantastic!). They are both perfect for a fast, fresh face!


I purchased all of the above products with the exception of Tan Lines by Fusion of Color and the Dalton Brightening Wand, which were sent to me for the purposes of review.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2009-2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Paul and Joe Beaute' Makeover From MUA Leah Dean

Recently, I did a Bare Escentuals eye color challenge and wore five different colors on my eyes every day for a week. The colors were literally dictated by cards I selected from a full deck. While I learned you can wear almost any colors (you just need to be creative), I realized that I need to brush up on my artistry skills. Many of my looks were similar and while the colors changed, the overall look of my eyes did not.

I turned to pro MUA Leah Dean of Paul and Joe Beaute' to learn how to sculpt my eyes and give them a different shape. Leah travels to Tokyo each year to stay current on trends and I was really excited to learn a new way to change my look.

"You have really round eyes, which is great. But for a change, you can make them more doe shaped. It's just a slight difference, but can be a little more exotic."

Leah began by applying a new Paul and Joe Primer (SPF 30) all over my face and then added their new Protective Foundation Fluid (SPF 25), which is water-like in it's consistency.

"It's perfect for summer. You only need to apply coverage where you need it. Plus it has an SPF. It's so thin it won't feel like you are wearing a full face of makeup, but you're skin will look perfect." Leah then added a bit of concealer and my face looked flawless!

Next up was creating the doe eyed effect. Leah used the Paul and Joe eye shadow combo that included Nearly Nude, a taupe-y champagne color and Chateau, an eggplant color. The champagne color was used along my lid, but not as far up as the crease of my lid. Then Leah added the eggplant color in the crease, but continued the crease over to the corner of my eye, coming down much lower on the inner side of my eye than I would normally do.


This contouring takes the roundness of eye down, giving it the appearance of being more doe eyed. It's subtle, but it did make a difference.

Leah then lined my upper and lower lid with a brown liner, sticking close to the lashes, and not lining above the lash line. She added a touch of powder to my lower lash line and finished with a bit of mascara on curled lashes.


The final touch was a bit of Eye Gloss in Celestial, which added a subtle bit of gorgeous shimmer. The Eye Gloss is a must have for spring and summer so pick it up, stat! Here is the end result. My eyes are subtly shaded to appear slightly different in shape.


(With the doe eyed shading.)


(Without the doe eyed shading.)


What do you think? Have you tried to change your eye shape or are you stuck in the same lid, crease, brow rut I was? Tell me in the comments!


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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Works of Art and Science: Paul and Joe Beaute'

When I recently visited Baltimore's Brow Whisperer, I was delighted to find a new line cosmetics that I couldn't stop admiring. Paul and Joe Beaute' create beautiful works of art that look as good on you as they do on your vanity.

(Paul and Joe Beaute' Pressed Powder. I love this compact!)


I have been using a mineral powder for touch-ups, which is fine and I have no complaints. But when I saw this compact and tried it on, I realized I had to have it. Not only does the powder look beautiful on, the compact itself reminds me the ones I use to admire on my grandmothers' dressing table.


(This pic doesn't show how gorgeous this compact is in real life, but it is beautiful, trust me!)


This powder offers medium coverage and imparts a slight radiance on the skin, that isn't glittery, despite being able to see bits of sparkle in the powder. It is just a beautiful radiant powder, in an even more beautiful compact.

I couldn't pass up trying Paul and Joe's Lip Lacquer, either. This is the least stickiest lip gloss I have tried in some time. It also wears really, really well. This is no doubt due to the technology behind this gloss, which sets it apart from the rest. Paul and Joe lip lacquer contains thixotropic, a gelatin agent that spreads smoothly over the lips and adheres firmly. Depending on the amount you put on, it could feel slightly "thick", which doesn't bother me the way stickiness does. The result is long lasting, beautiful color and a slightly fuller lip appearance. I picked it up in the color #5, a delicate nectar sheer color. When paired with a creamy foundation and cream blush, it is the perfect finish to a creamy complexion.


(My pucker in Paul and Joe #5 Lip Lacquer)


Check out Paul and Joe Beaute' on Beautyhabit.com, PeaceLoveLipgloss.com or in Baltimore at La Papillon Salon .

I purchased these items because I am a can't pass up new, pretty things.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.