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physicians formula

Can Physicians Formula Really Make You #InstaReady?

March 8th, 2016 by Jen Clark 25 Comments

Physicians Formula InstaReady

When I first saw Physicians Formula’s new line, #InstaReady, I thought, “Genius marketing! But there’s no way makeup can really make you more Instagram ready.” After I tried the products, I realized that InstaReady doesn’t really mean anything, aside from having a really good makeup day, and that’s exactly what happened when I tried it.

There’s plenty behind these products that I think deserves mentioning, like how almost all of them contain SPF 30. They also have InstaFilter Technology, which is basically a clever way of saying that they’ll mattify your skin while leaving behind lots of valuable moisture. The InstaFilter Technology also uses high-tech, light-reflecting polymers to blur imperfections and re-texturize the skin.

Now, these are HUGE claims for a product to make, and while I did have a great skin day while using #InstaReady, I didn’t look like I had an Instagram filter over my face… Obviously. But let’s talk a little more about a few of my favorite products from the line, shall we?

To start, I applied the Super BB #InstaReady Beauty Balm BB Cream. Most of the BB creams I’ve used have been light to medium coverage and applied almost like tinted moisturizers, but not this one. This bad boy is full coverage.

In the pro column, and this one’s big, I didn’t need to use any concealer on my blemishes, because they were already covered so well! This has a beautiful semi-matte finish and lasts throughout the day; however, it’s not without a few cons. Like, it’s extremely thick and feels uncomfortable on my skin. You can definitely feel that it’s there, and while the uncomfortable, constricted feeling fades the longer I wear it, I wouldn’t wear this again unless I were wearing full-on makeup that day. It can also look a little cakey, so this isn’t something I’d want to wear if I were going for a no-makeup makeup look.

Overall, though, I really like it, and I’ll wear it the next time I want a flawless complexion! You can see the coverage is bomb here in these before and after pics…

Physicians Formula InstaReady

The next stand-out InstaReady product for me is the Super BB #InstaReady Contour Trio BB Stick in Bronze Trio. This little deodorant stick o’ bronzer is truly a dream. Literally, I’ve dreamed of a product that could make contouring a breeze, and here it is in my hot little hand! This guy is definitely going in my everyday makeup drawer and will live there until I die.

It contains the same InstaFilter Technology as the BB cream, so again it’s going to help blur and perfect the skin. It’s also made to be super blendable, which I can attest to. It has a deep contouring shade on the far end, a slightly shimmery bronzing shade in the middle, and a nice highlight on top. All you need to do is paint a cute tiger stripe on each cheek with the deepest shade in the hollow of your cheek, then tap away with your fingers or Beauty Blender. My contour was blended and looking fly in 0.73 seconds.

I recommend it for anyone who loves a good contour, and it would also be stellar for anyone just starting out in the world of faking perfect bone structure, because it’s so fast and easy to use.

Physicians Formula InstaReady
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Categories: Face, Guest Post, Makeup, Physicians Formula, Product Reviews Keywords: blush, contour, instaready, physicians formula, super bb

Doctor, Do My Cheeks Look Pink to You? The New Physicians Formula pH Matchmaker pH Powered Blush in Rose

April 13th, 2012 by Karen 8 Comments

physicians formula ph matchmaker ph powered blush

When it comes to makeup, patience is not a virtue I have in great supply, which is why the instant gratification I get from seeing the new Physicians Formula pH Powered Lip Gloss change color on my lips suits me just fine.

Thing is, the doc’s new pH Powered Blush ($12.95; available in two shades, Natural and Rose) doesn’t work the same way.

Physicians Formula says they’re supposed to, but I dunno. Like the glosses, they’re supposed to react to your body chemistry — your pH level — and transform within 60 seconds into a custom color personalized for you, but I must have swept the glittery hot pink shade called Rose on my cheeks half a dozen times this week, and I’ve yet to see it change color.

It could be the effect is just too subtle for me to see, but even if Rose isn’t changing color at all, I’m still diggin’ it. I love how super saturated it is, and I think the packaging’s just adorable.

Rose is so bright and potent — the most intense of all the new Physicians Formula blushes I’ve tried — that a little goes a long way. Finally! A shade that darker damsels can easily wear, too, without having to go overboard on layers.

Physicians Formula pH pH Matchamker Powdered Blush 2

I’m always a little leery of blushes that claim to last longer than 8 hours, but this one really does. Physicians Formula claims it’ll go 14 hours, and it’ll do that much and more. Yesterday, in fact, I applied it before 8 in the morning, and when I went to remove my makeup a little after 10 last night, I could still see it cheering up my cheeks.

Physicians Formula pH pH Matchamker Powdered Blush 1

Physicians Formula spring 2012 swatches 2
pH Matchmaker Powdered Blush, Happy Booster Glow Mood Boosting Blush in Pink, Happy Booster Glow Mood Boosting Bronzer Blush in Bronze/Natural, Cashmere Wear Ultra Smoothing Blush in Natural and pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss in Light Pink
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Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Face, Physicians Formula, Product Reviews Keywords: physicians formula

Dry Cheeks and Knitters Wool Love Physicians Formula Cashmere Blush

April 7th, 2012 by Karen 16 Comments

physicians formula cashmere blush

Physicians Formula Cashmere BlushNow is one of those times I wish I belonged to a kick-@ss stitch-and-bitch group.

See the pattern on that pan of Physicians Formula Cashmere Wear Blush ($12.95)? Totally makes me want to knit and purl… Yeah, I’m a closet knitter. Not a very good one, but I can make scarves (and that’s about it).

I love so many things about knitting. I love picking out yarn (does anyone else like to smell the skeins, or is that just me?), love the satisfaction I feel after completing a knitting project, love how a well-balanced bamboo needle feels in my hands…

Shoot, I’m still cursing the day I lost my favorite pair of needles. It was at a Bebe sample sale in South San Francisco a few years back.

I knew it was going to be crowded, so I brought along a scarf to work on while I waited in line to get in. When it was my turn, and I finally got inside to shop, somewhere between the jeans and embroidered jackets, my bamboo needles must have fallen out of my tote bag and forever disappeared.

Sucks, too, because I could have used them to defend myself against a couple of the girls who straight-up grabbed things out of my hands. Those sample shoppers are NO JOKE! They’re like UFC fighters about clothes.

I would not be surprised if the textile pattern on pans of Cashmere blush caused some of them to see red.

Physicians Formula refers to Cashmere, a new product recently released for spring, as “the ultimate in attainable luxury,” and I gotta say — it just might be that. It’s available in two shades, Natural and Rose. I’ve been road testing Natural, a fairly sheer warm pink (I have use two layers to clearly see it on my skin) with light silver shimmer.

The formula supposedly contains 100 percent pure cashmere extract, which the company says helps create skin that looks smoother and line-free. Soft focus pearls in the powder also help further diffuse the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

It’s fragrance-, oil- and paraben-free; hypo allergenic; and designed for all skin types, although it sounds like dry skin might benefit from it the most, since the formula is quite moisturizing, and it was designed to diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles (more on that in a minute).

As for the packaging, isn’t it nice? Especially for a drugstore blush? It almost looks like a present. What a great-looking gift. I love the bookish tassel on the front and how the back side opens to reveal a mirror and a brush.

I’m not really a fan of the brush … but it could come in handy for impromptu touch-ups.

Physicians Formula Cashmere Wear Ultra Smoothing Blush 1
Cashmere Wear Ultra Smoothing Blush in Natural, $12.95; also available in Rose

Physicians Formula Cashmere Wear Ultra Smoothing Blush 4

Physicians Formula Cashmere Wear Ultra Smoothing Blush 5
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There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Face, Makeup, Physicians Formula, Product Reviews Keywords: physicians formula

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a … Physicians Formula Match! The pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss

April 6th, 2012 by Karen 20 Comments

physicians formula ph matchmaker gloss

Got a date, can’t be late, hay! The girlie’s gonna do me.

As much as I wish I could re-allocate the part of my brain currently storing the lyrics to Bell Biv Devoe’s Do Me! to something more … practical, like, I dunno, how to fix a running toilet or perform an emergency tooth extraction without anesthetics in the least painful way possible (could come in handy in the zombie apocalypse), I can’t. Those lyrics are tattooed on my brain.

And every time one of my friends tells me that she’s going on a date, I say the same thing every time…

“Got a date, can’t be late, hay!”

LOL! I’ve been doin’ it for years, but it feels like time for a change. The next time someone texts/calls/emails to share their date plans, instead of quoting BBD, I’m gonna say, “Physicians Formula pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss, hay!”

Okay, so maybe that doesn’t roll off the tongue, but whatev. It’s still a great date gloss. 🙂

Released for spring, pH Matchmaker gloss ($9.95; available in two shades, Light Pink and Pink) is moody, and by that I mean it works like a mood ring, except in this case the product reacts to light and your natural pH level to create a color customized for you.

Now, that by itself isn’t revolutionary. Mood ring-like glosses have been around forever, but I can’t remember the last time I saw one as kissable and totally date-worthy as this.

It starts out clear on my lips but transforms within a minute or two into a vibrant fuchsia.

Cool! It even has cute bits of silver glitter, but not so much that it feels gritty in the least. Just enough for a little sparkle.

Physicians Formula pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss 1
pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss in Light Pink, $9.95; also available in Pink

physicians formula ph matchmaker gloss
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Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Lips, Makeup, Physicians Formula, Product Reviews Keywords: physicians formula

I’m in the Mood For Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Bronzer & Blush

April 5th, 2012 by Karen 25 Comments

physicians formula happy booster glow mood bronzer & blush

Things that boost my happiness, aka happy boosters

  • Purr machines. Sometimes Tabs takes pity on me and actually behaves like a nice kitty. I love when he climbs onto my lap while I’m blogging. He drapes his girth across my right arm, tucks his nose into the crook and purrs himself to sleep. It’s so sweet.
  • Lens flares. Ridiculous? I think not! One can never have too many lens flares.
  • Pizza crust. Some folks skip it, but it’s my favorite pizza part.
  • Inspired running. Gotta love those rare kick-@ss running days when everything goes right. No muscle cramps, nothing aches, my iPod’s shuffling in all the right ways, and I feel like I’m flying. Best part is when I ask myself, “Can I keep going?” and the answer is an enthusiastic “Yes!”
  • Free fro-yo. Filling up my “frequent flyer” rewards card at Tuttimelon and getting a free frozen yogurt.
  • Dance movies. Nothin’ like watching a cheesy dance movie after a long day — you know, where the main character, against all odds, lives out his/her dreams using the power of the pirouette! There’s always that big finale scene with the ensemble cast and a freeze frame shot right at the end. See: Footloose, Dirty Dancing, Honey, and Step Up (the first one, with Channing Tatum).
  • Bronzer/blush combos. Extra points when there are hearts love on the pan, like the new Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush ($13.95; available in two shades, Bronze/Natural and Bronze/Rose).

Happy Booster Glow, a new bronzer/blush combo from Physicians Formula, was actually designed to foster feelings of joy, and since regular blushes already make me happy (swirling a little bit of color on my cheeks always boosts my mood), I half expected to explode! 🙂

So how, exactly, is it supposed to bring the joy? Well, the ingredients. According to Physicians Formula, that is. They gave it arctic rose, which they claim mimics the effects of endorphins, as well as a supposed mood elevator called euphoryl. The violet and citrus fragrance is also supposed to promote feelings of positivity.

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow Mood Boosting Bronzer Blush 1
Happy Booster Glow Mood Boosting Bronzer Blush in Bronze/Natural, $13.95; also available in Bronze/Rose

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow Mood Boosting Bronzer Blush 2
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There are 25 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Face, Physicians Formula, Product Reviews Keywords: physicians formula

The Doctor Is in…the Drugstore: Physicians Formula Spring 2012

March 30th, 2012 by Karen 37 Comments

Physicians Formula spring 2012

I can appreciate a haughty high-end beauty product if it knocks it out of the park, but my heart belongs to drugstores.

When you can get two bags of groceries (complete with Cheddar Bunnies and Mango Bars) to go with a budget-friendly blush, powder, lipgloss, concealer and a trio of tinted eyeliners, and still spend less than a $108 blush, the drugstore beauty products deserve some extra wiggle room when it comes to packaging and quality. Pretty good starts to look pretty great when you only cost $12.95, like the new Physicians Formula pH Matchmaker Powdered Blush (I love that dotted border inside the pan!).

Here’s a quick look at it and the rest of the doctor’s collection of beauty bits for spring 2012…

Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Powder

physicians formula cosmeceutical youth boosting powder 1
Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Powder in Illuminating Translucent, $13.95; also available in a shade called Mattify Translucent

A youthful youth-boosting powder? Um, marketing much? LOL!

physicians formula cosmeceutical youth boosting powder 2
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There are 37 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Drugstore Beauty Finds, Physicians Formula Keywords: physicians formula

A Quick Look at the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liners in Casual, Smoky and Fashionista

February 4th, 2012 by Karen 13 Comments

Making a drugstore run today? If you are, can I come? 🙂 If you’re planning to check out the four new $10.95 Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liners palettes while you’re there, these pics and swatches may help.

Casual, Smoky and Fashion will be chillin’ in the beauty aisle with Nude, the fourth palette in the line (here’s a look at Nude from earlier this week).


Casual


Smoky
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There are 13 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Drugstore Beauty Finds, Eyes, Physicians Formula Keywords: physicians formula

Wet Your Brushes If You Plan to Get Nude: The $10.95 Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner in Nude

February 1st, 2012 by Karen 25 Comments

physicians formula nude eyes (8)

Do you remember A Night at the Roxbury with Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan? Gawd, that movie, as dumb as it is, still cracks me up.

It occurred to me this morning while I was playing with the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner in Nude ($10.95), a new 9-pan palette from Physicians Formula.

What if Nude was a woman at the Roxbury sandwiched between those two goofballs as they did their rapid-fire dry-hump schtick? I wonder how long it would take before she slapped them both.

Dressed in pinkish beige and black lace, Nude doesn’t just look like a lady. She expects to be treated like one, too.

You can’t just walk up to her and expect her to give up the goods. Not a chance. She’ll respond to a gentleman’s advances, sure, but she has to be approached in a certain way.

One of four new $10.95 palettes in the new Physicians Formula Universal Looks collection (remember Smoky, Fashionista and Casual from earlier this week?), Nude bares all with nine shimmery neutral shadows in shades of beige, brown, taupe and black.

physicians formula nude eyes (7)Applying the shadows with a dry brush lends a softer look, while a wet brush intensifies the pigments, shimmer and overall glam.

Mix and match the shadows to create your own look, or follow the three-step tutorials on the box for natural, playful or dramatic eyes.

First things first, I love Nude’s packaging, colors and price, but after spending some time with the palette, I’m not completely sold…

Maybe it’s a matter of how my skin responds to these pigments, but I feel like I have to do a lot to help them be their best.

It’s not that they exhibit any fallout, because they don’t — like nada, zip, zero. The formula’s kind of amazing in that respect, but after trying a bunch of different brushes and application methods, the two techniques that delivered the best, most consistent results were 1) to apply a single shade on my lids with a wet brush head (basically, not having to blend them), and 2) using them along my lash lines.

physicians formula nude eyes (3)
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There are 25 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Makeup, Physicians Formula, Product Reviews Keywords: physicians formula

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