Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Iceblush Lip Shine

Lip Shine from Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics is basically a shiny tinted lip balm. I've had it for months but only started to fully appreciate it when it dawned on me to actually follow the Youngblood instructions and apply it with a lip brush either over a lip pencil/liner or over a liner+lipstick that you want to both cement into place and make them shine. That was a serious lightbulb moment.

As it is, Lip Shine is a fabulously comfortable-to-wear product, full of extracts, emollients and other feel good ingredients that make it very soothing even for my very picky lips. Its stick factor is minimal and it has very nice glossy sheen. What makes it outstanding is the way it stays in place and doesn't budge. Still, I didn't reach for it as often as I should have because the color I was sent, Iceblush, is completely invisible on me. It has some pigment, as you can clearly see in the swatch, but my natural lip color is much darker. But once I've started using it as directed over other (and usually dry) lip products, Lip shine has become an easy choice. I especially like it over chubby lip crayons (Bobbi Brown, Trish or Shiseido) because they are softer and quicker to fill up the lip.

I've had a quick look at the darker shades of Lip Shine while at Henri Bendel in NYC. Crush is a dark plum and Jubilee is a red raspberry. I didn't test them on my lips but they seem to have a good amount of pigment so I can see them joining my arsenal at some point.

Bottom Line: definitely worth your time (as long as you don't mind the strong vanilla scent).

Lip Shine by Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics ($17) is available from Henri Bendel (in store only) and ybskin.com. This review is based on a free press sample sent by the company.

All photos are mine.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Iceblush Lip Shine

Lip Shine from Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics is basically a shiny tinted lip balm. I've had it for months but only started to fully appreciate it when it dawned on me to actually follow the Youngblood instructions and apply it with a lip brush either over a lip pencil/liner or over a liner+lipstick that you want to both cement into place and make them shine. That was a serious lightbulb moment.

As it is, Lip Shine is a fabulously comfortable-to-wear product, full of extracts, emollients and other feel good ingredients that make it very soothing even for my very picky lips. Its stick factor is minimal and it has very nice glossy sheen. What makes it outstanding is the way it stays in place and doesn't budge. Still, I didn't reach for it as often as I should have because the color I was sent, Iceblush, is completely invisible on me. It has some pigment, as you can clearly see in the swatch, but my natural lip color is much darker. But once I've started using it as directed over other (and usually dry) lip products, Lip shine has become an easy choice. I especially like it over chubby lip crayons (Bobbi Brown, Trish or Shiseido) because they are softer and quicker to fill up the lip.

I've had a quick look at the darker shades of Lip Shine while at Henri Bendel in NYC. Crush is a dark plum and Jubilee is a red raspberry. I didn't test them on my lips but they seem to have a good amount of pigment so I can see them joining my arsenal at some point.

Bottom Line: definitely worth your time (as long as you don't mind the strong vanilla scent).

Lip Shine by Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics ($17) is available from Henri Bendel (in store only) and ybskin.com. This review is based on a free press sample sent by the company.

All photos are mine.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Iceblush Lip Shine

Lip Shine from Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics is basically a shiny tinted lip balm. I've had it for months but only started to fully appreciate it when it dawned on me to actually follow the Youngblood instructions and apply it with a lip brush either over a lip pencil/liner or over a liner+lipstick that you want to both cement into place and make them shine. That was a serious lightbulb moment.

As it is, Lip Shine is a fabulously comfortable-to-wear product, full of extracts, emollients and other feel good ingredients that make it very soothing even for my very picky lips. Its stick factor is minimal and it has very nice glossy sheen. What makes it outstanding is the way it stays in place and doesn't budge. Still, I didn't reach for it as often as I should have because the color I was sent, Iceblush, is completely invisible on me. It has some pigment, as you can clearly see in the swatch, but my natural lip color is much darker. But once I've started using it as directed over other (and usually dry) lip products, Lip shine has become an easy choice. I especially like it over chubby lip crayons (Bobbi Brown, Trish or Shiseido) because they are softer and quicker to fill up the lip.

I've had a quick look at the darker shades of Lip Shine while at Henri Bendel in NYC. Crush is a dark plum and Jubilee is a red raspberry. I didn't test them on my lips but they seem to have a good amount of pigment so I can see them joining my arsenal at some point.

Bottom Line: definitely worth your time (as long as you don't mind the strong vanilla scent).

Lip Shine by Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics ($17) is available from Henri Bendel (in store only) and ybskin.com. This review is based on a free press sample sent by the company.

All photos are mine.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Platinum and Storm Pressed Individual Eyeshadow

Storm:

 Platinum:

The classic dark smoky eye doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Now that everyone is in a holiday makeup mood there are even more kits and palettes promising that you won't get it wrong if you use them, which might or might not be true. But most of us know by now that the secrets for a wearable smoky eye that doesn't make one look like Taylor Momsen is a couple of good brushes, serious blending and most important- not overdoing it.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics offers a couple of good options in the smoky eye department. Their eye shadows have a great texture- smooth but dense in pigment- that makes it easy and pleasant to work with them. They blend seamlessly and require little effort. While these kind of colors are not my favorites (I usually prefer a softer look with just a pop of color) both Platinum (silver with an almost metallic finish) and Storm (mostly matte charcoal with some shimmer particles) are very pretty and wearable. Used together they give a very rock star smoky eye that can be easily tailored and balanced. They also work well with other colors to create simpler looks and I even like using Platinum as a silver liner- it can be applied with a damp brush for some extra sheen.

Both Storm and Platinum can also be found as part of Youngblood's Starlet Eyeshadow Quad. The palette includes an almost white highlighter and a matte black which fully complete the smoky eye look.

Bottom Line: Very very good.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pressed Individual Eyeshadow ($19 each) are available at Henri Bendel in NYC and from ybskin.com. I received both Storm and Platinum from the company's PR department.

All photos are mine.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Platinum and Storm Pressed Individual Eyeshadow

Storm:

 Platinum:

The classic dark smoky eye doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Now that everyone is in a holiday makeup mood there are even more kits and palettes promising that you won't get it wrong if you use them, which might or might not be true. But most of us know by now that the secrets for a wearable smoky eye that doesn't make one look like Taylor Momsen is a couple of good brushes, serious blending and most important- not overdoing it.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics offers a couple of good options in the smoky eye department. Their eye shadows have a great texture- smooth but dense in pigment- that makes it easy and pleasant to work with them. They blend seamlessly and require little effort. While these kind of colors are not my favorites (I usually prefer a softer look with just a pop of color) both Platinum (silver with an almost metallic finish) and Storm (mostly matte charcoal with some shimmer particles) are very pretty and wearable. Used together they give a very rock star smoky eye that can be easily tailored and balanced. They also work well with other colors to create simpler looks and I even like using Platinum as a silver liner- it can be applied with a damp brush for some extra sheen.

Both Storm and Platinum can also be found as part of Youngblood's Starlet Eyeshadow Quad. The palette includes an almost white highlighter and a matte black which fully complete the smoky eye look.

Bottom Line: Very very good.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pressed Individual Eyeshadow ($19 each) are available at Henri Bendel in NYC and from ybskin.com. I received both Storm and Platinum from the company's PR department.

All photos are mine.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Platinum and Storm Pressed Individual Eyeshadow

Storm:

 Platinum:

The classic dark smoky eye doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Now that everyone is in a holiday makeup mood there are even more kits and palettes promising that you won't get it wrong if you use them, which might or might not be true. But most of us know by now that the secrets for a wearable smoky eye that doesn't make one look like Taylor Momsen is a couple of good brushes, serious blending and most important- not overdoing it.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics offers a couple of good options in the smoky eye department. Their eye shadows have a great texture- smooth but dense in pigment- that makes it easy and pleasant to work with them. They blend seamlessly and require little effort. While these kind of colors are not my favorites (I usually prefer a softer look with just a pop of color) both Platinum (silver with an almost metallic finish) and Storm (mostly matte charcoal with some shimmer particles) are very pretty and wearable. Used together they give a very rock star smoky eye that can be easily tailored and balanced. They also work well with other colors to create simpler looks and I even like using Platinum as a silver liner- it can be applied with a damp brush for some extra sheen.

Both Storm and Platinum can also be found as part of Youngblood's Starlet Eyeshadow Quad. The palette includes an almost white highlighter and a matte black which fully complete the smoky eye look.

Bottom Line: Very very good.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pressed Individual Eyeshadow ($19 each) are available at Henri Bendel in NYC and from ybskin.com. I received both Storm and Platinum from the company's PR department.

All photos are mine.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Pro Brush Cleaner

I belong to the school of thought that believes in washing everything (including the occasional cat) with warm water and detergents, but sometimes you need a quick and efficient shortcut. When it comes to my makeup brushes, especially when traveling I don't always have the option or time to do the whole washing and careful drying routine. Not to mention sometimes you need to clean a brush right in the middle of makeup application and re-use it immediately. That's what cleansing sprays are for.

I've been using Youngblood Pro Brush Cleaner for several weeks now, at home and away and I'm highly impressed with its performance. Just like with other quick brush cleansers, you just spray and wipe until dry, so there's no inventing the wheel here. It's just that Youngblood's cleaner is very effective and removes every last bit of color and gunk from the brushes, requires less effort than the equivalent Sephora product and dries quickly (once I learned there's no need to saturate the brushes with solution, that is), so I can reuse the brush right away.

Bottom Line: My current favorite.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pro Brush Cleaner ($18) is available from ybskin.com. A press sample was sent from the company for my consideration.

Image: glamour.com

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Pro Brush Cleaner

I belong to the school of thought that believes in washing everything (including the occasional cat) with warm water and detergents, but sometimes you need a quick and efficient shortcut. When it comes to my makeup brushes, especially when traveling I don't always have the option or time to do the whole washing and careful drying routine. Not to mention sometimes you need to clean a brush right in the middle of makeup application and re-use it immediately. That's what cleansing sprays are for.

I've been using Youngblood Pro Brush Cleaner for several weeks now, at home and away and I'm highly impressed with its performance. Just like with other quick brush cleansers, you just spray and wipe until dry, so there's no inventing the wheel here. It's just that Youngblood's cleaner is very effective and removes every last bit of color and gunk from the brushes, requires less effort than the equivalent Sephora product and dries quickly (once I learned there's no need to saturate the brushes with solution, that is), so I can reuse the brush right away.

Bottom Line: My current favorite.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pro Brush Cleaner ($18) is available from ybskin.com. A press sample was sent from the company for my consideration.

Image: glamour.com

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Pro Brush Cleaner

I belong to the school of thought that believes in washing everything (including the occasional cat) with warm water and detergents, but sometimes you need a quick and efficient shortcut. When it comes to my makeup brushes, especially when traveling I don't always have the option or time to do the whole washing and careful drying routine. Not to mention sometimes you need to clean a brush right in the middle of makeup application and re-use it immediately. That's what cleansing sprays are for.

I've been using Youngblood Pro Brush Cleaner for several weeks now, at home and away and I'm highly impressed with its performance. Just like with other quick brush cleansers, you just spray and wipe until dry, so there's no inventing the wheel here. It's just that Youngblood's cleaner is very effective and removes every last bit of color and gunk from the brushes, requires less effort than the equivalent Sephora product and dries quickly (once I learned there's no need to saturate the brushes with solution, that is), so I can reuse the brush right away.

Bottom Line: My current favorite.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Pro Brush Cleaner ($18) is available from ybskin.com. A press sample was sent from the company for my consideration.

Image: glamour.com

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Minerals In The Mist- Restore

The one problem with Youngblood's Minerals In The Mist sprays is that they come in 4 oz bottles, which means not TSA approved, so one can't pack them in the infamous plastic bag you take with you on the plane. A refreshing spritz of this stuff helps me wake up, locks in the serum and moisturizer I just applied and gives a natural dewiness to the makeup. I would have loved to bring it with me for a post-flight fix, but it's not meant to be.

It's interesting to note that some of the essential oils blended for Youngblood's Grapefruit, Lime, and Rosemary Restore Mist , mostly citrus oil, would give an IFRA bureaucrat a seizure. Apparently it's OK to spray it directly in the face but not to wear as perfume. Ha. In any case, while this mist doesn't feel as exquisitely nourishing as Kanebo Sensai's spray mist, for only $22 this is a pleasant alternative.

Bottom Line: I'd happily buy a travel size if one was offered.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Minerals In The Mist- Restore($22) was sent for my consideration by the company. It's available from Henri Bendel in NYC and ybskin.com. 

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Minerals In The Mist- Restore

The one problem with Youngblood's Minerals In The Mist sprays is that they come in 4 oz bottles, which means not TSA approved, so one can't pack them in the infamous plastic bag you take with you on the plane. A refreshing spritz of this stuff helps me wake up, locks in the serum and moisturizer I just applied and gives a natural dewiness to the makeup. I would have loved to bring it with me for a post-flight fix, but it's not meant to be.

It's interesting to note that some of the essential oils blended for Youngblood's Grapefruit, Lime, and Rosemary Restore Mist , mostly citrus oil, would give an IFRA bureaucrat a seizure. Apparently it's OK to spray it directly in the face but not to wear as perfume. Ha. In any case, while this mist doesn't feel as exquisitely nourishing as Kanebo Sensai's spray mist, for only $22 this is a pleasant alternative.

Bottom Line: I'd happily buy a travel size if one was offered.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Minerals In The Mist- Restore($22) was sent for my consideration by the company. It's available from Henri Bendel in NYC and ybskin.com. 

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Minerals In The Mist- Restore

The one problem with Youngblood's Minerals In The Mist sprays is that they come in 4 oz bottles, which means not TSA approved, so one can't pack them in the infamous plastic bag you take with you on the plane. A refreshing spritz of this stuff helps me wake up, locks in the serum and moisturizer I just applied and gives a natural dewiness to the makeup. I would have loved to bring it with me for a post-flight fix, but it's not meant to be.

It's interesting to note that some of the essential oils blended for Youngblood's Grapefruit, Lime, and Rosemary Restore Mist , mostly citrus oil, would give an IFRA bureaucrat a seizure. Apparently it's OK to spray it directly in the face but not to wear as perfume. Ha. In any case, while this mist doesn't feel as exquisitely nourishing as Kanebo Sensai's spray mist, for only $22 this is a pleasant alternative.

Bottom Line: I'd happily buy a travel size if one was offered.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Minerals In The Mist- Restore($22) was sent for my consideration by the company. It's available from Henri Bendel in NYC and ybskin.com. 

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Lunar Dust Bronzing Powder (Dusk)

The first time I tried using Lunar Dust, a loose bronzing powder by Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, I didn't read the directions. I just went at it with a powder or bronzer brush, ending up looking a it... gilded. It didn't help that the color I had was Dusk, the darkest of the three available shades. But even with a very  ridiculous looking face, I noticed the fine texture of Lunar Dust and the beautiful glow it provided.

One can actually apply Lunar Dust with a fluffy powder brush to the face, as long as it's done judiciously and with the right shade. Sunset should probably work for most, while Dusk is better for much darker skin tones. But as I discovered in Youngblood's directions, the best way to use this powder is to mix it with either a moisturizer or a foundation for face or with your body lotion and apply it to your legs, shoulders, etc.

The result is a warm and very pretty glow that can be toned down or played up at will. The finely milled powder is delicate and and not glittery at all. I used a lot in the swatch just so you can see the shade, but it doesn't have to be so shiny. My favorite application of this product, probably because Dusk is too dark for my face, is as a glowy faux tan for my legs. It stays put much better than tinted body lotions and gels I've tried in the past, and doesn't have the dreadful smell of self tanners. I have every intention to take a full advantage of Lunar Dust for an upcoming wedding I'm attending, where I don't want to subject my extended family to the natural gray color of my untanned legs.

Bottom Line: Not an everyday product but has its uses.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Lunar Dust Bronzing Powder ($30) is available at Henri Bendel in NYC and from the company's website (ybskin.com). A press sample was provided by the PR team.

Art by Katherine Luzny.
Product photos by me.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Lunar Dust Bronzing Powder (Dusk)

The first time I tried using Lunar Dust, a loose bronzing powder by Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, I didn't read the directions. I just went at it with a powder or bronzer brush, ending up looking a it... gilded. It didn't help that the color I had was Dusk, the darkest of the three available shades. But even with a very  ridiculous looking face, I noticed the fine texture of Lunar Dust and the beautiful glow it provided.

One can actually apply Lunar Dust with a fluffy powder brush to the face, as long as it's done judiciously and with the right shade. Sunset should probably work for most, while Dusk is better for much darker skin tones. But as I discovered in Youngblood's directions, the best way to use this powder is to mix it with either a moisturizer or a foundation for face or with your body lotion and apply it to your legs, shoulders, etc.

The result is a warm and very pretty glow that can be toned down or played up at will. The finely milled powder is delicate and and not glittery at all. I used a lot in the swatch just so you can see the shade, but it doesn't have to be so shiny. My favorite application of this product, probably because Dusk is too dark for my face, is as a glowy faux tan for my legs. It stays put much better than tinted body lotions and gels I've tried in the past, and doesn't have the dreadful smell of self tanners. I have every intention to take a full advantage of Lunar Dust for an upcoming wedding I'm attending, where I don't want to subject my extended family to the natural gray color of my untanned legs.

Bottom Line: Not an everyday product but has its uses.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Lunar Dust Bronzing Powder ($30) is available at Henri Bendel in NYC and from the company's website (ybskin.com). A press sample was provided by the PR team.

Art by Katherine Luzny.
Product photos by me.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Lunar Dust Bronzing Powder (Dusk)

The first time I tried using Lunar Dust, a loose bronzing powder by Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, I didn't read the directions. I just went at it with a powder or bronzer brush, ending up looking a it... gilded. It didn't help that the color I had was Dusk, the darkest of the three available shades. But even with a very  ridiculous looking face, I noticed the fine texture of Lunar Dust and the beautiful glow it provided.

One can actually apply Lunar Dust with a fluffy powder brush to the face, as long as it's done judiciously and with the right shade. Sunset should probably work for most, while Dusk is better for much darker skin tones. But as I discovered in Youngblood's directions, the best way to use this powder is to mix it with either a moisturizer or a foundation for face or with your body lotion and apply it to your legs, shoulders, etc.

The result is a warm and very pretty glow that can be toned down or played up at will. The finely milled powder is delicate and and not glittery at all. I used a lot in the swatch just so you can see the shade, but it doesn't have to be so shiny. My favorite application of this product, probably because Dusk is too dark for my face, is as a glowy faux tan for my legs. It stays put much better than tinted body lotions and gels I've tried in the past, and doesn't have the dreadful smell of self tanners. I have every intention to take a full advantage of Lunar Dust for an upcoming wedding I'm attending, where I don't want to subject my extended family to the natural gray color of my untanned legs.

Bottom Line: Not an everyday product but has its uses.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Lunar Dust Bronzing Powder ($30) is available at Henri Bendel in NYC and from the company's website (ybskin.com). A press sample was provided by the PR team.

Art by Katherine Luzny.
Product photos by me.