With the hundreds of brands of mineral makeup out there, it’s a royal pain to sort through the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly. Personally, I have tried over fifty brands (yep, you read that correctly… 50!).

I had just about given up because they either made my skin light on fire when I’d sweat a bit (that’s the icky bismuth cheapy filler that so many brands use); they’d look cakey; would settle in my pores; or they’d make my skin uber-dry and breakout massively. It was not a pretty picture.

I was finally lucky enough to find my favorites: Purely Cosmetics and PRIIA Cosmetics.
Now, every makeup look starts with Purely’s Skin Smoothing mineral makeup in California Blonde, mixed with a bit of PRIIA’s Complexion Enhancer in Angelic. For special occasions, I finish it all with Purely’s Diamond Perfect Finish powder (I love, love, love this product!). Both brands are free of those cheaptastic, and often quite bad for you, fillers that the bigger, more expensive brands are known for. I refuse to pay more money for a product that is not truly a mineral makeup!

So… this week’s Bionic Asks… Have you found your must-have mineral makeup brand? How many did you try before settling? Or are you still on the hunt?

I know black lipstick isn’t for everyone, but if you are interested in trying out the trend… here are some tips and looks to play around with. And you don’t have to be a Film Noir star or a goth chick to pull them off!

Face – Purely Cosmetics mineral makeup in California Blonde mixed with PRIIA Cosmetic’s Complexion Enhancer in Angelic (basically my normal makeup). Topped with Purely Cosmetics’ Diamond Perfect Finish powder (I love, love, love this product!).
Cheeks – Light rose pink blush (Koh Gen Do in Coral Pink) topped with silver dust GlitterAll in Snow by Shiny Mama.
Lids – Silver eyeliner by PencilMeInCosmetics.com, smudged out a bit, topped with Clinique’s Long Last lipgloss in Clearly Pink.
Lashes – Clinique’s new High Lengths mascara in black on top lashes (Full review soon, but in short it’s okay. Not as wonderful as Blinc, but average), silver/black glitter mascara (found on clearance at my local Sally Beauty store!) on bottom lashes.

And now, onto the makeup looks!

Trying out the Black Lip trend in real life!

The Full-On Drama Lips – Prescriptives Longwear Kohl eyeliner in black (but any longwear or waterproof black eyeliner would work fine!), Purely Cosmetics’ Diamond powder dabbed on very lightly to set the liner. Topped with Lancome’s Piha Black lipgloss (here’s a link to my previous article with loads of tips and looks using Piha Black lipgloss).

Lots of Drama! Black eyeliner topped with Lancome's Piha Black gloss

The Budget Version! – Wet n Wild’s lipstick in Black Orchid ($1.29 at drugstore.com), topped with Sally Hansen lipgloss (or any clear or sparkly lipgloss you have laying around). As you can see this black lipstick tends to settle into any lip lines you may have. It can be a bit of a pain, but for the two bucks or so it costs, it’s a great lipstick and not drying at all!

Budget friendly black... Wet n' Wild black lipstick with gloss over top.

Sheer and Wearable – If you’re looking for something a bit less “Jami, you’re crazy!” then, Three Custom Color’s Noir lipstick and Noir lip gloss are gonna be right up your alley!
Another recommendation, if I may, is Three Custom’s Doubles lipgloss. It’s my absolute favorite

Sheer Noir - Three Custom Color's Noir lipstick with Noir lip gloss on top

My Tips…

• For all the lip looks, I highly recommend starting with a very moisturizing lip balm to prep lips (I used YBF’s Quench lip balm). Put it on before you start the rest of your makeup and it’ll have soaked in by the time you’re ready to start lips.
• Surround lip line with concealer, or I use Anastasia’s Eye Lights Matte pencil in Camille. The goal here is to really set your lips off and make sure the lip line is exact and very clean since the colors are so dark.
• Clothing – Pair this look with something that is silver, maroon, blue, navy to keep things bright… unless you want to embrace your inner goth, then by all means go for the black, strips, deep gray, or reds!
• Same thing goes for jewelry. KISS – Keep it simple silver. *wink*
• Whichever makeup you choose, keep your lids, cheeks and face subtle, however you want *something* on those other features so you don’t look too washed out.

This look is instant glam when you’re at home feeling a bit low or down… Even if you just wear it around the house!

If you’re going out on the town with a strong black lip, ROCK IT. You can’t be shy and meek. Embrace that inner-gal-power and let it show. Shoulders back, walk proudly! Pretend you’re Mina Harker (actress Peta Wilson) from The League of Extraordinary Gentleman; or Abby from NCIS!

Personally, I love the dark lip look… but I’m fully aware it’s not for everyone. What are your thoughts are the varieties I’ve shown?

Want to know what I absolutely ADORED in 2009? I’ve gone through every skin care item, makeup product, trend, and ounce of hair care that I tested, or discovered, over the past year and came up with Bionic’s Second Annual “Best of Beauty” awards. And just for fun, I included some stuff at the end that’s not beauty related, ’cause you know… we’ve got to keep it balanced!

The winners of Bionic's "Best of Beauty 2009" awards! (Click for a larger image...)

And the winners are… in no particular order…

• YBF Skincare’s Boost – I’ve covered and discussed the benefits of YBF’s products on Bionic Beauty many times; they just keep churning out the winners. Boost is geared towards those of us with “problem skin”. It helped decongest the pores around my nose, dramatically reduced a breakout cycle on my cheeks, and really helped to balance my combination skin. And since I have very sensitive skin, it didn’t burn, irritate or create any redness. Yippee! It’s $65 for a bottle (at ybf-skincare.com), but that will last you 3-4 months with daily use.

• Purely Cosmetics’ new Diamond Perfect Finishing Powder – I adore PC’s mineral makeup, but this finishing powder should be in every woman’s makeup case. Even if you only use it on “special occasions”. It softens the look of lines and pores, and even makes your skin feel softer to the touch. If you splurge on one item, this IS it. $18.50 at PurelyCosmetics.com, and it’s now available in a tinted version! (Full review and photos are coming soon!)

• Purely Cosmetic’s Fiber Optic Duo Brush – It’s a synthetic and goat hair combination so get best of both worlds, plus it applies the above Diamond Perfect Finishing Powder (or any powder for that matter) in a swift, easy, and non-clumping manner. Definitely worth a spot in your makeup brush stash! $18 at PurelyCosmetics.com.

• L’Oreal HiP Kohl eyeliners – These powdered, highly pigmented kohl eye liners are my eye makeup obsession. I can’t stop wearing them! Granted, it does take some time to get the hang of the application method, but it’s truly worth it. Smokey eyes, smudged lines, cat eyes, waterlines that *stay* lined, rocker eyes… it’s all possible. And the colors are simply gorgeous! If you’re on a budget, keep your eyes open for a “Buy 1, Get 1 50% off” sale at your local drugstore.

• Lexli Skincare – The majority of skin care these days is full to the brim with water and other fillers, Lexli is different. It’s aloe-based and developed by a wonderful physician (Dr. Abdullah who I had the honor of meeting in person- he’s a true pleasure to chat with!). Every ingredient is well-thought-out. For cleansing, I rotate between the Aloe-based Cleansing Lotion and the Acne Cleanser (I’ve got a full review on the Acne Cleanser upcoming); for day- Day Moisturizer with SPF 15; in the evening- the exfoliating AloeGlyC and 15 minutes later the Night Moisturizer. If I have a breakout, I use the Acne Clarifying Lotion. During winter, dry spells, airplane travel, etc- I use the Moisture Intensifier Serum, which is also handy patted under your eyes after makeup. It keeps concealers and powder for settling into lines!
  If you try one Lexli product grab their AloeGlyC- especially if you are looking for the results of a chemical peel, but with the ease of at-home use. It’s shrunk my pores, helped reduce discolorations and works great as an all-over treatment (including under eyes!). My full review is here; and you can view all the products at Lexli.com.

• Jeune D’age Organic Skin Care – There are many, many skin care lines out there that call themselves “organic”… Jeune D’age is the rare breed that actually IS organic and WORKS. Bionic Bronnie put the whole line through a very rigorous test and she’s a huge fan. I have their Toner and absolutely adore it! If you’ve been on the hunt for a natural and organic skin care regimen, Jeune D’age is new, but it’s making giant waves in the industry.

• White Sand’s 24/7 The Cure hair treatment – White Sand’s makes some of my favorite hair treatment products like ER Fusion and Porosity The Fix. I guess it’s no surprise that I’m a fan of 24/7 The Cure. I use it after flat-ironing or styling to seal any split ends, tame any frizz, and keep encroaching humidity at bay. It does come in a glass bottle, so it’s not perfect for travel, but that’s easily remedied by squeezing a few pumps into an old lip balm tin. ($29.99 at WhiteSandsProducts.com)

• Launch of the new makeup brand PRIIA Cosmetics – PRIIA’s mineral makeup is grand, but their Skin Complexion Enhancers absolute blow me away. I call them the tinted moisturizers of the mineral makeup world. I wear them alone or mixed with my regular mineral makeup. And one of the best eye shadows colors this year, PRIIA’s Sea Turtle is a mix of blue, green, and gray. Absolutely stunning!

• Cactus and Ivy Skin and Body Care – Not only are all Cactus and Ivy products hand made, natural and cruelty free, but they smell delicious, offer superb customer service, and are actually darn affordable. Come on, venture outside Bath & Body Works and get something unique. One of my favorites is the Body Bath and Massage Elixir which I use on my feet before bed, my nails and cuticles, my legs after shaving and even lightly on my hair for a bit of extra conditioning and to tame flyaways!
  And then there are the Body Scrubs with sugars, oils and cocoa butter… yumtastic. Here’s my super secret hint for sunless tanner application: Use one of the Body Scrubs in the shower to really get your dead skin cells off. You’ll end up with a smooth and prepped skin surface for a streak-free tanner! Cactus & Ivy also has face lotions, sampler packages, lotions, souffles, and even products for horses!

• Lancome La Vernis nail polish in Indigo Paris – Dark polishes are my favorite, but I still like to see some color. Lancome’s fall release of Indigo Paris swept me off my toes. It’s a deep shimmery blue that seems to be lit from within!

• L’Oreal EverPure Sulfate-free Shampoo, Conditioner and UV Protect Spray – Finally drugstore hair care has caught up with salon/spa/luxury brands!! EverPure has dramatically reduced my color washout, really keeps my hair smooth and shiny, which reduces my need to flat iron. EverPure is a must-have in my shower and I recommend this line to all my family and friends. You can’t beat the price either, and the scents are even better than those pricey brands, in my opinion. If you’ve ever longed to try Pureology but the cost is prohibitive, this line is modeled almost exactly after that. Want more info? Here is my review of the UV Protect Spray and the Shampoo and Conditioner.

• New Herbaria Soaps – Just like last year, Herbaria makes this year’s Best Of Beauty list with their new soap additions: Shaw’s Garden, Licorice (if you are a fan of black licorice, this is the best scent ever!), Coffee (Percolates me right up in the AM! $7.50), Ginger Neem, Lycopene Tomato, and Lime Coconut Aloe (my in-shower island getaway). All bars are $5.95 unless I noted them otherwise. If you’ve heard the rave reviews of Neem Oil for your skin, but found the scent uh… yucky… then Herbaria’s Ginger Neem soap is the way to go. It’ll give you all the benefits with a fantasmic scent! This is one of those few brands that I’ll 99% guarantee you’ll love. But be warned, they are incredibly addicting!

• Anatomicals’ Another Bloody Shower Gel – Perhaps it’s because I’m a Twilight fan, or because I’ve always liked classic horror flicks, but this shower gel rocks! It dispenses a deep, blood red and is scented with blood oranges! Plus the entire Anatomicals marketing campaign makes me giggle.

• Discovering Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish and actually getting to order some! I saved up some fun money and ordered four bottles of their nail polish. I’m wearing Scrangie in the picture above: it’s a unique frost duochrome that shows purple or blue depending on how the light hits. The wear is incredible and the coverage is full in one coat… so I’m using a third less polish than with other brands! I’ll post a full review soon…

• Ultra cheap and ultra awesome Hot Topic eyeshadows – Want further proof? Check out my Under the Sea and Sunny Citrus eye makeup looks. These shadow palettes are full of color, accessible to most anyone near a mall (or online), give you an easy way to try fun colors!

• The Matte Nail Trend – I know some dislike this trend, but I really can’t get enough of it. I used to put glow-in-the-dark or matte basecoats on top of my polish to cut down the shine. Now there are top coats designed specifically for the matte look!

• Three Custom Color’s lipgloss in Whisper – Three Custom Color lip glosses are full of amazingness in any color, but 2009′s Whisper gloss is one of those colors that flatters pretty much any skin tone and won’t ever leave my makeup bag.

• Dermelect Launchpad Anti-Aging nail polish base coat - I’m really not sure if this base coat has anti-aging properties, but it certainly makes nail polish cling! I typically lose my polish within a day to peeling, but with Launchpad everything seems to just stay put! I make my bottle last by only using when I want extended wear (i.e. not while swatching multiple colors in an afternoon), and also by using a cheaper drugstore basecoat on my pedicures. I haven’t posted a full review yet, but some of my thoughts are listed in my matte nail trends article. Launchpad base coat is $18 at SkinStore.com.

• John Frieda’s Root Awakening “Health Boosting Detangling Spray” – Here’s another drugstore hair care winner! I love the entire John Frieda Root Awakening line, but the real standout is the Detangling Spray. It provides light leave-in conditioning properties, a bit of shine, cleansing essential oils (great for your non-shampoo days), UVA/UVB protection *and* it amps up your volume! Not to BIG hair status, but enough to make your hair full and bouncy. The fresh scent is another bonus, not to mention the cheaptastic price! If you haven’t tried this hair care line yet and you’re love bargains, pick it up on your next drugstore run!

• Target gets invaded by e.l.f. cosmetics – Yeehaw for $1 makeup at your local Target!!! Let’s all party, shall we? And maybe we can finally put those darn “Nordstrom’s is selling makeup for a dollar” rumors to bed… I mean come on, it’s been over a year, and I’m still getting those dang emails!

• Beauty Blender sponge – Ahhh the Beauty Blender. I love my beauty gadgets, that’s for sure! This pink, egg-shaped, spongy wonder applies powdered makeup, creamy concealers, blush, liquid foundation. My highlights: Keep it clean (I wash mine weekly) and it’ll last you at least 6 months; you can send it back for recycling; and it gives your mineral makeup that flawless “I’m not wearing any makeup” look.

• Tubing Mascaras – I adore Blinc Mascara even though it’s a bit pricey ($23.50 at PurelyCosmetics.com), totally worth it, in my opinion. While “tubing mascaras” are nothing brand new, I’m thankful I discovered Blinc mascara this year. It’s my special occasion mascara… giving me uber-long, separated lashes that don’t flake or smudge. Especially handy when you know you might be crying a bit… (trust me on that). If you haven’t heard about tubing mascaras, basically they create little socks on your lashes. It’s like a polymer that wraps each lash rather than your typical “cover up” mascara-goo. To remove the socks, you soak your eyes with lots of water and rub gently with your hands. The little strings will slip off once they are saturated (and are kinda funny to look at too!).

Outside of beauty, things that made my 2009 memorable…
Seeing the New Moon movie with my sister… Our collective consensus: this movie was SO much better than Twilight.

My 2009 Halloween costume - Jill Valentine from Resident Evil

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince- I loved going to a midnight premiere, even though the company could certainly qualify for a “Worst Of” list. Humpfh! They almost ruined it for me. Almost.

Star Trek – Ahh… my geektastic love of J.J. Abrams (or as I call him, Jbrams) continues. His movies and TV shows are layered with action to please the masses, and plenty of below-the-surface goodies for obsessive fan-girls like me. Mentions of the Slusho drink, the number 47, and Rambaldi’s “red matter” had me bouncing!

The musical musings of Lily Allen – Feeling a bit angsty? This girl’s surface-sweet voice will amp you up with her snarky lyrics. My favorite album is “It’s Not Me, It’s You”.

Starting a new life – If you had asked me in early 2009, I would’ve said I had lost every bit of Powerful Beauty in me. Some of you saw the destruction via my posts on Twitter and Facebook. Your messages and letters (thanks for the cupcake lipbalm Yvonne!!) brightened my days! Once things settled, I knew my life changes were certainly for the better (divorce, big move, splitting up my pets, having barely any budget, etc). It’s made me stronger, and I realized how much I had let myself become smothered. Now I’m getting back to loving my slightly quirky, very g33ky, creatively writing, animal-adoring self. I’m spending more time with family; spent a week horseback riding in the Georgia mountains; and I’m 100% happy!

A successful Halloween! Even though many people didn’t know who I was dressed as, I adored my handmade Jill Valentine costume (she’s a character from the Resident Evil video games, and general bad-a$$ zombie killer). Plus my fog machines, spooky music, grave yard and other decorations got mentions as “best they’d seen” from the adults, children and even the local police!

What were your best beauty finds of 2009? And what were some of non-beauty things that rocked your year?

Interested to know which products made Bionic’s Best of Beauty in 2008? Check out last year’s results!

I didn’t get any compensation/kickbacks/backrubs/brownies/etc for listing any of these products on Bionic’s Best Of Beauty list. They are honestly my favorites from the past year. Just wanted ya to know. *grin*

If you’ve been a Bionic Beauty reader for a bit, you know that one of my favorite makeup brands is PRIIA Cosmetics. Well, I’ve got more reasons to love them… In honor of the upcoming holidays, PRIIA has launched some new products!

• Body Sparx™ is a scented body shimmer powder ($16 for a 20g jar). Contains all-natural and organic fruit extracts such as pomegranate, apricot and wild cherry bark. Available in two shades- Goddess (for light to medium skin tones) and Diva (for medium to medium/deep skin tones). I love having some body shimmer around for the holidays and special events. I dust it on my chest for glimmer or add a bit to my body lotion to use on my arms and legs. Ta-da! Legs look instantly more toned!
• 6 new lip colors available in the “About 2 Pout™” lip gloss formula or the “Pucker Upz™” lipstick formula. Also launched is a clear lip gloss!

In other news… PRIIA has some great samples! They are pretty darn cheap and let you try which colors are best for you. Check out their makeup sample page for details.

And last, but not least, it wouldn’t be very Bionic of me to neglect mentioning PRIIA’s current sale. All their vegan lip and eye liners are currently 50% off!! Lots and lots of colors to choose from!

First motto… “Oil is not bad”. I can’t say that enough OIL IS NOT BAD. Cosmetics companies have drilled the opposite into us for ages. If you strip all the oil away from your face, your skin will respond by producing excess oil and that leads to more clogged pores and breakouts.

And a little background on my skin issues- I have acne (which is pretty much resolved), skin allergies, hyper-sensitive skin, am very prone to clogged pores and cystic acne. I’m allergic to Glycerin, some parabens and Salicylic Acid; and Benzoyl Peroxide dries out my skin so badly that I end up red with more breakouts. Ugh.

Now on to the tips…

Cleansing

Use a gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip. My go-to choices are: Noxema (in the tub), a plain glycerin bar or Cetaphil. Good ole Noxema is still one of my personal favorites.

Wash gently twice a day and be sure to remove all makeup. If your teen wears heavier eye makeup- maybe use something to remove that first. Visine eye wipes work great or I mix up my own makeup remover.

In the evening, I suggest washing twice: once to get all the gunk of the day off, and then again to actually cleanse skin and pores.

Don’t scrub with a rough wash cloth or those darn “exfoliating” walnut scrubs and such. They are way too harsh on a teen’s sensitive skin. Plus those beads and scrubbies can settle into pores and actually create blackheads. Ick.

For a wash cloth, I use a microfiber cloth (I found mine at Wal-mart). I know they say “dusting cloths” but they are so very soft that you’ll realize why I picked them up for my face.

Toning

Use full Witch Hazel if you can find it (meaning- don’t use the diluted kind that is full of alcohol), or I found this great stuff called “Tate’s The Natural Miracle Acne Solution” at my local natural food store. It was a bit pricey ($20!) but I only use a few drops on a cotton ball after washing in the evening and before lotion/moisturizing. It does contain some alcohol plus also has Witch Hazel and Tea Tree oil.

Moisturizing

Use something mild like a Cetaphil lotion or my favorite, 1 or 2 drops of Jojoba Oil. Jojoba is the closest oil/moisturizer to a human’s natural sebum. Hence, it doesn’t make your pores go into overdrive producing more oil. And remember that motto I mentioned “Oil is not bad”!

Face Masks

I have 2 personal recommendations. Both work for me although one is pricier than the other. Astara’s Blue Flame Purification mask- here’s my review. It’s harder to find, but works well. It can also be used as a spot treatment.

My favorite though by far, is the Aztec Secret Clay Mask (my review). I use it EVERY week on Sundays- have your teen set a schedule. I can tell if I skip a week because my pores start clogging up again. For acne, mix 1 heaping tbsp of the clay with equal amount organic Apple Cider Vinegar. You can also add 1-2 drops of Tea Tree Oil (very small drops, start with just 1 drop for the first time). Mix well and apply thickly on face, let it sit until dry. Wash off with the above mentioned wash cloth and tepid/luke warm water. Her face may be red/pink after the first few times. This is due to increased blood flow to the face. It’s completely normal and will fade within 30 minutes to an hour.

A side note on masks and all skin care in general: It will take at least 6 weeks to see benefits from any regimen. Be patient and encourage your teenager to continue. That’s why it takes me so long to test skin care. It’s such a looooong process. Also, after first starting face masks, your skin may break out after a few days. This is normal. It’s the skin detoxing and “blowing out” all the ick, goo and buildup.

Acne Treatments

My favorites are all sulfur based ones because they are more natural, not as drying, you use less, and they are less likely to cause irritation when used daily. Plus they seem MUCH more effective. The bad side? It seems like most stores don’t carry them.

• I recommend Murad’s Blemish Spot Treatment (from my “Other ways to treat acne” article) and Mario Badescu’s Buffering Lotion. Shake both of them well before using since the sulfur settles to the bottom. (By the way, you don’t need both, just one.)
• With the Buffering Lotion- it’s VERY runny. I put a few drops in my cupped hand, then use my finger to wipe it around on my cheeks, nose, T zone or whatever is breaking out. The bottle lasts a REALLY long time. I only suggest using them once per day- at night is best (before lotion or Jojoba) so it can work overnight. If you put the sulfur treatments on after washing & toning, then follow up with the Jojoba- the Jojoba works as a “carrier oil” and brings the treatment deeper into your pores which is another plus for Jojoba!
• I’m also a fan of Mario Badescu’s Drying Cream (for spot treating already broken out pimples). I put it on at night and by morning they are much improved. Plus you can use it in the AM too since it is tinted a bit- it works a little as a concealer.
• Tea Tree Oil can be fabulous. Start slowly, even though it’s natural, it can still be drying. Dab a tiny amount of Tea Tree Oil (using your finger or a Q-Tip) on breakouts or areas that tend to have breakouts. A little goes a long way. Wash hands after because it can make your eyes super, uh… “tingly”. I speak from personal experience.

Other Tips

Other Tip 1: Don’t wear any cream blush or liquid blushes (cheek stains, etc) until everything gets under control. Never use lipstick for blush while you are breaking out on your cheeks.

Other Tip 2: If teen skin is really irritated by acne and she did a thorough cleansing before bed, she can just use the soft cloth with plain water and lightly wash her face. Toner can follow, or just a bit of lotion/jojoba before makeup. Washing with plain water is always my first step if I get an allergic reaction breakout.

Other Tip 3: Does she wear mineral makeup or fluid foundation? If it’s fluid, maybe see about switching her to a TRULY pure mineral makeup, like from PRIIA Cosmetics or Purely Cosmetics. Whatever brand, just make sure there is no bismuth or other filler minerals that aren’t really minerals. Bare Escentuals does not qualify as mineral makeup, in my opinion (no offense, it’s just they have marketing money, their products are NOT what they claim them to be, and they’re over-priced).

Other Tip 4: Yes, picking at pimples and popping them is bad. We all know it. But if she’s like me, she probably won’t be able to stare at that whitehead waving at her for more than 2 minutes before she’s heading to squeeze. Instead of squeezing though, teach her the proper way to be bad (hee hee!). At your local drugstore you should be able to find a “blackhead extractor” tool. They’re usually by the tweezers- mine is by Revlon. It’s a silver tool (about 4 inches long) with a loop at each end. First, wash hands & area that has the pimple. Then use a bit of toner over the area with the pimple. Basically we are pretending to prep for surgery. You want the area clean since you are going to “open the skin”. Next use the skinny loop if it’s a whitehead (or the flatter loop if it’s a clogged pore or balckhead) and press down until it pops. Kaboom. Immediately clean the area again with toner & face wash. Be sure to wipe down the extractor tool with toner to disinfect it!

Yep, it can create scars, and I’m not advocating squeezing pimples, but if you must… this is the way to do it. keep that area clean before and after; think of it as an open wound. And the puss that comes out is bacteria that can cause further infection (since it can actually cause pimples to spread and create new pimples)- sort of like a growing virus I guess.

Other Tip 5: Hands off your face when sitting, reading, at the school desk, and whenever possible. At home, tie hair back with a head band or rubber band. Even hair products can contribute to breakouts when skin is sensitive.

Other Tip 6: Cell phones. Use a corded headset/headphones or bluetooth headset when possible. If not, make sure she cleans the cell phone sections that go up against her face while taking at least every 2 days. I use a very slightly damp (with water) cotton ball, and add a drop of tea tree oil. Wipe it across the screen, buttons whatever. So few people think of this as a contributor. But teens (and me) are on phones so much that it can push makeup right into the pores.

Other Tip 7: Have your teen wash her hair with Head & Shoulders or other dandruff shampoo a few times a week. With the left over suds on her hands, swipe them across her face. The sulfur in the dandruff shampoo works wonders against acne. These shampoos also work great as body washes to prevent back and body breakouts. I use some on a loofah every other night on my back as a prevention.

Of course, no regimen is perfect for everyone. You have to tailor things to your specific face, skin and needs. These tips are ones that I have researched extensively and tried on myself with excellent results. And don’t forget to see a dermatologist to get a doctor’s advice on your acne.

Luckily these days we have many choices when it comes to what type of face makeup we wear. Plain powders, cream to powders, just concealer, loose mineral makeup, liquid minerals, tinted moisturizers, liquid foundation… the list goes on and on.

If you’ve been a Bionic Beauty reader for a bit, you’ll know that my favorite face makeup is Purely Cosmetics’ Skin Smoothing mineral foundation. I had always wanted to like mineral makeup before, but it made me itch, breakout, it clumped and looked fake. So I’m really happy that I found Purely. I also occasionally still wear some of my favorite Tinted Moisturizers: e.l.f.’s and Sonia Kashuk’s. And on low-key days, I just add a bit of concealer and a light dusting of PRIIA’s Skin Complexion Enhancer in Angelic.

What’s your foundation style? And do you have favorite brands?

This week’s Powerful Beauty contribution comes from Kelley Maddison.

Kelley is the owner and founder of PRIIA Cosmetics (which you’ve heard me talk about here on Bionic Beauty before). In addition to formulating her own line makeup line including foundations, skin complexion enhancers (one of my absolute must-have products!!), lip colors, eyeshadows, and vegan brushes, Kelley also finds the time to write her own blog: the Mineral Makeup Coach.

Now that we know a bit about Kelley, let’s find out how she Achieves Powerful Beauty…

“Achieving Powerful Beauty for me can’t be summed up in just one step. In my mind, it’s really a three-part process.

First, I believe in taking care of myself by eating well, daily exercise and getting enough rest. These aren’t always easy tasks to accomplish when you’re a mother, wife, esthetician and small business owner! But, I find that I actually have more energy throughout my busy day when I stay on track with this part of my daily ‘to-do list’.

By having more energy from taking care of myself, I am able to reach the next step of achieving Powerful Beauty for myself. This would be setting and achieving short and long term goals. I don’t believe in staying stagnant. In order for me to be happy, I feel it’s so important to constantly be striving & moving towards something- no matter how small it may be. Sometimes my goal may be as small as getting all the laundry done in one day (sometimes this isn’t so small!). This is definitely a short-term goal. Other times the goal may be pretty lofty such as increasing my quarterly sales volume by 300% which may turn into more of a long term goal. I’m OK with that as long as I keep progressing forward.

Lastly, when I accomplish a goal I set for myself, I feel like I just won the lottery! My confidence soars. In my opinion, there’s nothing more beautiful than when a woman lets her inner confidence shine through. You feel better, look better and simply ‘carry’ yourself better. Now that’s achieving Powerful Beauty!”

Thanks Kelley! I know I struggle daily with my ‘to-do list’. It seems some days I’m just keeping my head above water. I love her statements about confidence and beauty. It’s amazing when I look in the mirror on days when I’ve just achieved something I have worked long and hard for- I look completely different. My eyes sparkle, my skin glows, and my hair just seems to have extra bounce. Plus the gigantic smile always helps.

What do you ladies think of Kelley’s contribution?

Catch up on the rest of the Powerful Beauty features. And remember to check back each Friday for another dose of how to Achieve Powerful Beauty!

Natural, beach makeup look by Bionic Beauty

Heading to the beach with a dramatic face full of makeup just looks plain silly. If you can’t go bare-faced, here’s a simple and low-key natural makeup look to get you by.

Face: Purely Cosmetics Skin Smoothing Foundation in Sunkissed
Cheeks: Priia Cosmetics Skin Complexion Enhancer in Ethereal
Eyes: Jane eyeshadow duo in Hazelnut (the lighter shade in the duo), CoverGirl Lash Blast Luxe in Black Cabernet
Lips: L’Oreal Color Juice Stick in Chai Love You

Jane shadow in Hazelnut, CoverGirl LashBlast Luxe in Black Cabernet

I applied Jane’s shadow in Hazelnut across my entire eyelid. For lashes- I coated the upper lash line only with CoverGirl’s LashBlast Luxe mascara. I used Black Cabernet since it’s more of a light brown.

My review of LashBlast Luxe mascara – I’m not a huge fan of this mascara actually. I wears well enough, but for a daily mascara it gives almost no length or volume over what you’re born with. Plus the “shimmer” CG brags about is not visible. At. All. But, that said, it *is* a perfect mascara for a no makeup look.

L'Oreal Color Juice Stick in Chai Love You

To keep lips natural, find a lipstick that has some gloss to it. And match it to your normal lip color. I’m wearing L’Oreal Color Juice Stick in Chai Love You. I’m a big fan of the Color Juice Sticks. They are basically a cross between lip gloss and lipstick.

The full "no makeup" look

For my face… I applied my favorite face makeup with a nice, light hand. Purely Cosmetics mineral makeup in Sunkissed just wear I wanted some coverage (around nose, under eyes). Then I dusted Priia’s Skin Complexion Enhancer minerals (I absolutely LOVE this stuff… seriously, every gal should buy some from Priia) in Ethereal (a peachy light bronze) on cheek bones, bridge of nose, brow bones and chin.

Today I wanted a subdued makeup look and I had the hankering for a faux-tan. So out came my Cargo bronzer, and a handful of my samples from Priia Cosmetics.

This makeup look uses…

• Priia’s Skin Complexion Enhancer in Angelic (I call this my Tinted Moisturizer of the mineral makeup world! This is a great way to look unmade up for low-key days. No clumps, no ultra-fake-matte finish, just soft dewey skin. There are 2 shades of Complexion Enhancers currently- $14 each for a HUGE jar or grab a sample.)
• Cargo Water Resistant bronzer
• Silver Bullet satin eyeshadow by Priia ($7.50 for a full size, or check her other colors and get several sample sizes!)
• Pencil Me In eyeliner in Indigo
• Me by Mezhgan tubing mascara (the Look at Me mascara)
• Priia Lipcolor in Raspberry Smash

After applying Priia’s Skin Enhancer to my entire face (I used my Beauty Blender sponge), I added the Cargo bronzer to my upper cheek bones. I also put a bit of bronzer on the bridge of my nose and just a sweep across my chin and forehead.

Eyes got Silver Bullet shadow across my entire lid. As you can see, the color is a translucent silver. It’s a gun-metal pewter in some light, and a brighter polished silver in others. Simply gorgeous!

Then I drew one quick line using the Indigo pencil along my upper lash line and finished with one coat of Mezhgan’s mascara.

I used a lip brush to apply Raspberry Smash. Using a lip brush helped the color look “stained” on my lips, kept application precise, and allowed me to achieve the subdued look I desired. Raspberry Smash is a punchy magenta cream lip color. It would work for light, medium and even darker skin tones who are on the cooler side.

The finished look…

The recently launched Priia Cosmetics is taking mineral makeup land by storm. Bionic-land is fully in love.

Priia doesn’t add extra filler minerals or ingredients. Everything included has a purpose and a reason for being included. There’s no bismuth (that’s the ingredient that makes most people sting or itch or breakout while wearing minerals- and ALL those big boys, Bare Escentuals and Pur Minerals use it) and no parabens. And prices are very, very reasonable.

Of course, nothing is tested on animals and Priia’s brushes are even Vegan! It’s a tough world to find animal-lover friendly makeup brushes that actually perform.

My new samples from Priia arrived recently. Since I have trouble matching my skin tone, I love samples. It makes it cheaper to try different shades and then I can buy a full size when I figure everything out.

All makeup in this look is by Priia (except the mascara)…

• Eyes: Eyeshadows in Birthday Suit and Smoky Plum. Me by Mezhgan Look at Me mascara in black.
• Lips: Pucker Upz lip color in Voo Doo.
• Face: Dusty Rose blush on cheeks, Mix of Skin Complexion Enhancer in Angelic and Mineral Foundation in Rosy Beige 1.

Priia’s foundation applied very easily. I tested with both my Beauty Blender sponge and my Purely Cosmetic’s flat top brush. You don’t need to work hard to buff out Priia’s minerals. Simply swipe downwards a bit. Check out the Priia website for instructions. Rosy Beige was a bit too light for me even though I am pale. I’ll need to check out some other colors.

I also blended Priia’s Skin Complexion Enhancer in Angelic with the foundation. The Skin Enhancer is like the tinted moisturizer of mineral makeup. It gives your skin a soft glow and a soft cover. I typically wear only this on “no-makeup” days. This is my favorite product from Priia.

Dusty Rose blush is a nice warm pink. You only need a dab (it’s incredibly pigmented, use a light hand) so this sample will last me quite awhile. It blended nicely with no sharp lines.

On my eyes, I used the neutral Birthday Suit all over lid, and up past my crease and almost up to my brow line. Then I applied a light coat of Smoky Plum on my lid only. Simple but effective.

Lips are topped with Voo Doo since they are the focus here- everything else stays soft.

In summary, I highly recommend Priia Cosmetics. Definitely two Bionic thumbs up!