News and Awesome

Hello fellow Bokeh Faces!

We're super excited about presenting all of the entries for the Name That Collection contest!  The winning collection is going to be amazing, but it's going to be very hard to pick amongst all of the other fabulous entries!

(New Eyeshadow: No. 125 Dirty Bird)

Just an update regarding our ingredients:

All of the Bokeh Face eyeshadow now includes another fantastic ingredient called Kaolin Clay. In cosmetics, it helps with adhesion and oil absorbtion (gals with oily eyelids; this one's for you!)  We have found that it helps immensely with the staying power of our eyeshadows, and plan to include it in future foundation formulations as well. 

Each listing in the shop will be updated to include this magic ingredient, as well. 

 

Also on the agenda:

New Featherweight Foundation formulas, including a larger range of shades and ones with heavier coverage and for oilier skin.  We'd love to get feedback on what you're all looking for in a foundation! Leave it in the comments! 

Bokeh Face Birthday Club - sign up for our email newsletter and receive a FREE Birthday Cake eyeshadow on your birthday, along with other perks and discounts.  More information coming soon!

Know Your Makeup Pt. 2 - Titanium Dioxide

Every ingredient (chemical) has a different function, and the combinations one could use them in are limitless. I'm not going to even pretend to be an expert at this.

Let's look at titanium dioxide, for starters. This is a chemical that is used in many different products, from paint to sunscreen. (By the way, don't be turned off by the word "chemical". As my fellow blogger Susan says, "...every single thing I touch, breathe, eat, hug, kiss, smell, taste, play, craft, and cuddle is made up of chemicals. The air I breathe (oxygen, nitrogen, and I'm sure a ton of farm soil as they till the fields around my house), the water I drink (hydrogen, oxygen, and a ton of fish pee!), the food I eat...and even my husband and adorable puppy are composed of various chemical compounds!")

What is titanium dioxide (TiO2)?
According to wikipedia, TiO2 "...is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium".  It is commonly used as a pigment (it's SUPER white) and an opacifier in tons of household products: paint, toothpaste, sunscreen, plastic... even food (apparently it's used in skimmed milk to make it whiter.  Weird!)

There are several reasons we use it in makeup.  One is as a sunblock:
"Titanium dioxide is found in almost every sunscreen with a physical blocker because of its high refractive index, its strong UV light absorbing capabilities and its resistance to discolouration under ultraviolet light." (wikipedia) 
 It's similar to zinc oxide, which is another chemical commonly used in sunscreen (ya know, all those pictures of lifeguards on the beach with white noses?  That's zinc oxide.  I have never done that).

Also, it's incredibly white and opaque!  It's used in a lot of foundations to vary how much coverage you get.  A heavier coverage foundation will often have a lot of TiO2 in it.  It also lightens colors dramatically.


It's truly a staple in any cosmetic manufacturer's supply closet.  Keep your eyes open for other applications for it, because I promise it will surprise you!

Know Your Makeup Pt. 1

Hello Everyone,

A lot of people have been asking how I "make" makeup. In fact, a lot of people assume that it's purchased through a private-sale company or that I just repackage it. I can definitely understand this assumption, because before I started researching it, I honestly didn't think anyone could produce real cosmetics without a lab and access to special chemicals and whatnot.

So no, I do not repackage makeup, nor do I purchase it from a private-sale company. Everything I sell is completely original and 100% hand made, from scratch, by myself. Okay, every once in awhile I'll make my husband or sister help, but other than that, it's just me!

Hoooowwww do I do that, you ask?
Well, without getting into too many details about the "how" (hey, I spent a lot of hours researching this and perfecting my formula!), I will tell you that I purchase raw ingredients from various cosmetic supply companies, and mixing them together (in the case of powder makeup) or "cooking" them, essentially (in the case of lip products, eye primer, etc), is what makes the product.

I'm going to be getting into a series of posts about the different chemicals commonly used in cosmetics (some of them I use, some I don't) and what is known about them, and what this means to you.

Then, armed with your new knowledge, you can head on over to my shop, read the ingredients list, and be confident in your purchase!


Ciao!!

BTW: a GREAT source for all things cosmetic-chemistry related is The Beauty Brains blog. Two things I love: Makeup and Science!