Category — Most Popular

When I started Bionic Beauty in the summer of 2007, there were not many readers. Yet I still ponder about those articles I wrote. Below is a list of my favorite articles on Bionic Beauty. I’d also love to know what you gals enjoyed reading from my “older” days.

It’s a short post, but Goodyear Lashes for You is one of my absolute favorites. I loved learning a little more about the ingredients in some of our mascaras.

Have you ever used Tea Tree Oil for blemish and skincare? It’s a staple for me since it’s non-drying and chemical free.

One of the most popular (and still offered) free samples: The mineral makeup sample pack from Everyday Minerals. You pay a small fee for shipping and handling and get a generous (and long-lasting) amount of mineral makeup to test out!

Here’s my go-to look when I want something neutral, but slightly dramatic. You can easily tone down the colors a shade or two -or- punch them up to smokey gray or deep purple for evenings/parties.

And by far, the most popular product review with the search engines is on L’Oreal Skin Genesis Serum Concentrate.

My favorite reviews: These products were fun to try, tested well, and I truly enjoyed writing about them.
Herbaria Soaps (of course- all natural soapy goodness!)
My trial of 3 different mascaras - I tested and compared mascaras from Maybelline, CoverGirl, L’Oreal and Physician’s Formula.
Green by Nature Hand Creams - Lovely product. I just finished my tube this week and was pretty sad when I pitched the container into the recycle bin.

I’m a gadget-girl and am thrilled when I can combine my love of gadgets and beauty products. When I noticed the new PedEgg at my local Walgreens, I grabbed one without thought. Heck, I certainly needed to get my feet into shape for summer, right? So, I’ll give this a shot.

I adore this pedicure file. It’s an oblong-egg shape which prevents my hands from cramping up while I buff away calluses on my feet. It comes with one file (i.e. blade), the “egg” holder and cover, as well as two sandpaper buffers for finish smoothing work.

Simply use the blade file to gently shave off your rough calluses and then finish with the paper buffer to really smooth your skin. After that I follow up with a moisturizing body balm or butter. When you are all finished, grab the blade to remove it, and dump the skin flakes into your trash.

Ta-Da! Perfect feet for summer! I’m using my PedEgg weekly and will probably need a replacement blade soon. But I have gotten 3 months of use out of the first blade!

You can purchase the PedEgg Pro Pedicure Foot File from Drugstore.com for $9.99 or check your favorite local brick and mortar drugstore.

I was taking a stroll through my local Target last night, and right there on the endcap of the health and beauty section were three different starter packs of Bare Escentuals (BE) mineral makeup! At Target! There is one called “Beyond Basics”, another starter kit, and another with some colors, eyeshadows and blushes.

They were priced between $35 and $50 depending on the kit.

I did not pick one up, since I have been using Ferro and Everyday Minerals for my mineral makeup; but I know there are quite a few BE fans out there.

Personally, I love how Target continues to add new and exciting brand names to their makeup and skin care offerings. It’s like a mini-Sephora!

Ok ladies, I am addressing this article in the NY Times today. It’s interesting to say the least and I am not quite sure how to take their stance on beauty blogs.

Anyhow, I was (well, am…) trying to recover a crashed hard drive on a laptop of mine, and the kitchen is covered in computer parts… But that aside, I wanted to address this article as soon as I heard about it. So here I am, taking a little typing break.

The article seems to imply that beauty bloggers do this soley for swag. Hmmm… swag? Nope. I fully admit to getting samples of products to try, but I would estimate over 70% of my reviews on Bionic Beauty are items that I have purchased (with my own moo-lah). And even when I do review a product that has been sampled to me, it’s honest. I truly believe that the most skincare and makeup companies expect honest reviews. Not for a blogger to add fluff and gush about a product they really did not enjoy. Well, at least I’m not going to do that.

I’m a loyal person by nature, probably to a fault, and hence I feel loyalty to you. My readers. I am not about to whore out my blog for “swag”. Even the ads I run on this site are for products and companies I believe in or shop personally with.

I started this blog to share my experiences with products I have tried, and of course to share the freebies I find on the web. Even though I had designed websites in the past, I honestly had *no* idea how much work blogging would be. I put quite a bit of effort (just ask my hubby) into my blog because I love it. I love the community surrounding blogs, my readers, and my online buddies. That’s why I am here.

Not that any of you doubted me :)…

Now I guess I have to get back to trying to rebuild these computers!

I’ve been testing the Lancome Le Crayon Kohl (fancy name for a kohl eyeliner pencil) in Black Coffee. The Black Coffee color is a rich, deep brown which works well on light to medium skin, without looking as harsh as a black eyeliner. The pencil wears well, I got a full day with any smudges or drop out.

Lancome’s eyeliner was very smooth on my lid. It did not pull or tug, which was a welcome relief for my sensitive skin! Additionally, Lancome’s eyeliner was voted by Allure Magazine into their “Hall of Fame” beauty products.

The pencil sells for $23.00 (from Lancome USA) and is available in 7 additional color choices which cover everything from white to blues to plums and greens.

Lush is a company known for it’s all natural body and skin care products in an almost overwhelming array of varieties, scents and flavors. For the holidays, I received the Honey I Washed the Kids soap.

The scent was a bit strong at first, and very sweet. But it was nice to walk into the bathroom and have the whole place smell fresh and herbal. The soap was incredibly sudsy and it left my skin soft, lightly scented and smooth. However, after only a week, the bar had dwindled to nothing. And at the prices charged (a 3.5 oz bar retails for $7.75 USD at Lush’s website) that would translate to roughly $31 per month. Huh.

The Lush soap bar was not as amazing as Herbaria’s Soaps, but it’s worth a second look if you like “somewhat” natural products (see the ingredients list below for what I mean). Neither Lush nor Herbaria test their products on animals.

Ingredients Listing: Honey Water (Mel Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Beeswax (Cera alba), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus dulcis), Bergamot Oil (Citrus bergamia), Aloe Vera Extract (Aloe barbadensis), Aloe cupensis), Sodium Chloride, Glycerine, EDTA, Tetrasodium Editronate, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Titanium Dioxide.

Product photo is copyright Lush Cosmetics.

This was my entry into the Everyday Minerals contest. I decided to share it with everyone since I found some creative ways to use the mineral makeup (I used my mineral blush for my lips!). Let me know your thoughts.

This is a super easy, very natural makeup application. It basically highlights your skin, yet keeps it showing through and allows your eyes to pop just a bit. This look would be perfect for a casual evening out, or a day at the office!

Makeup Application Process for My Look: “Rockin’ the Glow”

• I primed my face with a light application of moisturizer to ensure even application of the mineral makeup. Then I mixed a pinch of Light Olive Original Glo with Light Neutral Semi-Matte and applied with a baby Kabuki brush across the entire face and blended down under the jawline. Concealer in Intensive Medium was applied with a synthetic brush under both eyes, the inner corner of eyes and blended. The same concealer was then applied across the upper lip (due to my Melasma).
• Swept entire face with a large Kabuki brush to blend everything out.
• Blush in Sunday Brunch was lightly applied to the apples of cheeks and blended out in a circular motion.
• Using Chamomile eyeshadow, a light sweep was placed on the bridge of the nose and blended out.
• For the eyes, Countryside eyeshadow was applied to my lids and swept up into the crease. Brow bone and inner corner of eyes were highlighted with Chamomile shadow.
• With a small natural bristle liner brush, eyeshadow/liner in Black was applied dry to the upper lash line and remnants on the brush were swept under the lower lashes for a slightly smoky look.
• Lashes were coated with Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Mascara in Blackest Black.
• Lips received a light coat of Burt’s Bees lip balm and then Sunday Brunch blush was applied over top and moved around the entire lip with a lip brush. A teeny dusting of Veranda face color was used as frosting for the lips.

You can order Everyday Minerals from their website and don’t forget about their free sample kit (you just pay shipping and handling- great way to figure out your colors!).

If you like this post, please read the follow-up article: Finalists in the Everyday Minerals Contest Announced!

Are you make-up challenged? With a few of theses great products from Benefit Cosmetics you will look your best all the time.