Sometimes we all need a little inspiration, especially when it comes to crossing names off of our gift list. In hopes of making your gift-giving a bit easier, we asked some of our favorite makeup artists for some advice on what gifts they would give from Alima Pure.
Jessa Blades is a Natural Beauty Expert, Makeup Artist and Founder of Blades Natural Beauty – Your Trusted Natural Beauty Resource. You can visit her site or her blog.
Jessica Belknap is a Portland, Oregon based Makeup Artist and Green Beauty Expert. Visit her website or find her on facebook.
Terri Lodge is a National Makeup Artist, owner of Blush Premier, specializing in beauty, fashion, special occasion and tv/print/film makeup. You can find Terri at Blush Premier or beautybyterri.com .
With a budget of just $25, and shopping for hostess gifts, office gifts or nieces, the makeup artists recommend:
Jessa Blades: Pearluster Eye Shadow in Quartz ($11) with a #35 Eye Detail Brush ($12). “Everyone needs a go-to perfect smoky-eye color. It can be worn layered for a bold look for special events and worn lightly for everyday. This is a great gift to give anyone who is trying to find an easy way to define their eyes and bring a bit of “fancy” into their makeup routine.”
Jessica Belknap: Luminous Shimmer Blush in Freja or Satin Matte Blush in Mimosa ($17 each) and an Organic Tinted Lip Balm in Mango ($7 each). Freja would be the choice for someone who likes shimmer; Mimosa would be a more matte selection.
Terri Lodge: A Luminous Shimmer Powder ($17) and Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Natural ($7). “These shimmer powders are beautiful on the skin and come in a variety of colors/tones to match any skin tone perfectly.” Or Satin Matte Eye Shadows in Fleur and Raven ($11 each). “These are great neutrals and Raven can be used as a contour and a liner.”
The artists came up with great gift selections for friends and family with a budget of $50:
Jessa Blades: Bronzer in Trinidad ($17), #23 Kitten Brush ($25) and Pearluster Eye Shadow in Champagne ($11). “A set perfect for winter, for all the holiday parties and for everyday, helping you glow and look healthy and luminous.”
Jessica Belknap: The Irresistible Brush Set ($55) and Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Natural ($7). Okay, she went $12 over, but the brush set is such a great value, she couldn’t help herself!
Terri Lodge had a several suggestions at this price point:
-Either the Cold Outside Holiday Collection ($36) with Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Holly Berry ($7) for a cool toned gift, or the Warm Inside Holiday Collection ($36) with Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Mango ($7) for a warm toned gift.
-Trinidad Bronzer ($17), the #7 Half Moon Brush ($25) and Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Natural ($7).
-Satin Matte Foundation ($22) to match their skin with Concealer ($12) and Satin Finishing Powder ($17) to match. “The perfect palette!”
-Three eye shadows and a liner shadow ($11 each) in your choice of colors and an Organic Nourishing Lip Balm ($7).
When the budget increased to $100, the artists pulled out all the stops. These make great gifts for Mom, your sister or your BFF:
Jessa Blades: Alima Pure Brushes #17 Blush ($22), #33 Angle Liner ($14), #35 Eye Detail ($12) and #39 Large Shadow ($16) for a complete set of must-have brushes. “These are a great gift that people never buy for themselves but are a MUST HAVE for any makeup bag. And a lip balm in Natural and a tint ($7 each) for some fun treats for the lips.”
Jessica Belknap: The perfect gift for Mom! #21 Buff Brush ($18), Pearluster Eye Shadow in Champagne ($11), Satin Matte Eyeshadow in Raven ($11), Luminous Shimmer Eye Liner in Illusion ($11), four samples of Satin Matte Foundation in shades close to hers ($1.50 each) and an “IOU” for her perfect match color ($22), Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Holly Berry or Fig ($7) and Satin Matte Blush in Carnation or Desert Rose ($17).
Terri Lodge: The Irresistible Brush Set ($55), a Luminous Shimmer Blush ($17), a Pearluster and a Satin Matte Eye Shadow ($11 each) and an Organic Nourishing Lip Balm ($7). “The perfect face! A good rule to go by, the younger the person, the more you can use shimmer. More mature ladies can use pearls and mattes and can highlight with soft shimmers.”
We hope these suggestions give you the inspiration you need to wrap up your holiday shopping!
This week Alima Pure has a special on three of our Luminous Shimmer Powders (your choice of Lumina, Sorbet or Dolce) and the amazing #21 Buff Brush for only $25. This great value makes a great gift and is also a fun way to treat yourself, but how exactly do you use a shimmer powder?
During the holidays, it is fun to add a bit of glam to your regular look with a touch of shimmer on the tops of the cheekbones or under the brow bone. If confined to these two areas, there is no reason you can’t wear shimmer powder during the day.
At night, let your imagination run wild! In addition to the brow bone and cheekbones, you can dab a small amount of shimmer on the bridge of the nose and the chin, and run a bit across the forehead. Or if you are truly not shimmer-phobic, tap out some of your Satin Matte Foundation into a bowl or on a paper towel and mix a small amount of the shimmer powder in, to give you a subtle, but radiant glow. You can also apply the shimmer powder to the lips, either mixed with your favorite lip color, or dabbed on top (focus on the center of the lips, don’t go clear out to the sides). If you apply a small amount to the center of your lower lip, you can create a pouty, fuller look.
If you are wearing something that is either low-cut or has a wide neckline, dust shimmer on exposed skin. If you’re wearing bare shoulders, carry the shimmer across your shoulders, gradually blending it down the arms.
If you’re wearing a skirt, pour some body lotion into your hand and then tap shimmer powder on top. Mix the two well and apply to your legs. Don’t go overboard here, because you don’t want it to rub off on everything you touch. Just a tiny bit will adhere nicely with the lotion and should wear for hours.
Rahel is so warm that it almost feels like she is radiating sunshine. A Portland physician who cares for women with pelvic floor disorders such as prolapse and incontinence, Rahel has also worked at the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa in her native Ethiopia. It is easy to imagine the soothing effect she would have on young women suffering from the condition of fistula, which causes them to become social outcasts.
We selected Rahel as our third Naturally Gorgeous model because of her smile and warmth, but we were delighted when she expressed surprise that we could match a foundation to her skin. Prior to Alima Pure, she had never found a foundation that truly matched her skin. Can you guess from her photo which shade is hers? Read on to find out!
AP: Where were you born?
RN: I was born and raised in Ethiopia. I got a scholarship to attend college in the US, which is how I got here.
AP: Now you work in Portland as a physician, but how often do you get back to Ethiopia?
RN: I spent a year at the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa between my residency and fellowship training. That was a life altering experience and probably informs much of what I do now. I now go back about once a year to do medical work in rural Ethiopia where I spend about 2 weeks. I wish I could spend more time, but it is hard to do with all my clinical and motherly obligations in the US.
AP: What do you do for fun?
RN: I like exploring Portland and finding new places to eat with my (six-year-old) son and husband.
AP: What do you really care about?
RN: I care about my family, my patients and my profession as a clinician, researcher and educator. I also deeply care about my medical work in rural Ethiopia. Our global project called Footsteps to Healing is about improving the maternal and women’s health in rural Ethiopia, building local healthcare capacity and educating our students, residents and colleagues.
AP: What inspires you?
RN: I am inspired by people who have achieved greatness in their life but manage to stay humble. I am even more inspired by people who have very little material things but have the biggest heart and the brightest smiles. This is the virtue of my Ethiopian people.
AP: What scares you?
RN: Ignorance.
AP: How do you define beauty?
RN: To me, beauty is simple, unadulterated, genuine and deep. I think if you have true beauty, you do not have to work hard to feel it or to see it in others.
AP: What makes you feel beautiful?
RN: A relaxing steam bath after yoga. The rare occasions when I actually dress up for a night out and take time to put on my simple Ethiopian silver or wooden jewelry.
AP: What surprises people about you?
RN: Introducing myself as the doctor to my elderly female patients. They think I look too young. It also surprises me how fast their surprise is replaced with trust and openness once we start to talk.
To get Rahel’s Look:
We applied Satin Matte Foundation in Golden 6 with the #25 Foundation Brush. For extra coverage under the eyes, we used her foundation with the #3 Concealer Brush. On her cheeks, we used Antique Rose Satin Matte Blush applied with the #17 Blush Brush.
For her eyes, we used Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow in Leone on the #37 All Over Blending Brush (which helps keep shimmer from becoming overwhelming). Then we added Luminous Shimmer Shadow in Aphrodite on her lid with the #39 Large Shadow Brush. We filled in Rahel’s brows with Satin Matte Eyeliner in Espresso with the #33 Angle Liner Brush.
For the finishing touch, we used our Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Holly Berry.
Please click to learn more about the work of the Hamlin Fistula Hospital.
You’ve seen Cold Outside on a real person, and now here is Warm Inside on Jessica!
We started with her foundation, Beige 2. Then we applied Candlelight from her lashes to her brows and Mulled Cider on her lids. We brushed Hot Toddy into the crease, and concentrated a little bit at the outer corner of her eye, then applied it with a damp #33 brush along her upper lashes. A touch of Satin Matte Eyeshadow in Raven filled in her brows.
We swept Firelight Luminous Shimmer Powder along the tops of Jessica’s cheekbones with the #23 Kitten Brush, and dusted what remained on the brush across her forehead. We added a touch of Satin Matte Blush in Pink to the apples of her cheeks, and finished the look with a sheer layer of Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Sweet Pea.
Can you create the highly stylized makeup looks of a Robert Palmer video girl with Alima Pure’s Irresistible Brush Set? Absolutely! But you don’t have to, you can use it for more current and wearable looks…something we highly recommend. And as this week’s Deal of the Week, we hope you find it Simply Irresistible!
With a retail value of $85, the Irresistible Brush Set features four of our handiest brushes; the #25 Foundation Brush, the #17 Blush Brush, the #39 Large Shadow Brush and the #35 Eye Detail Brush in our signature Alima Pure bag for only $55. But this week only you can get this fabulous set for only $45. Don’t miss this opportunity to stock up for you and the people on your gift list!
Click here for more details about the specific brushes in this great set, and how to use them.
We love our customers, and we want to be sure our customers love their Alima Pure. To help us with that goal, we are announcing a new policy…Pure Satisfaction. Pure Satisfaction is our guarantee that you will love any full-sized product you purchase from us, or you can return it (no questions asked) within 30 days.
One of our commitments as a company is to continually improve our impact on the environment. We reached a point where the most meaningful thing we could do was to eliminate some of our samples. We have long struggled with sending all of those little plastic jars out into the world, hoping they would be responsibly recycled, but we couldn’t really be sure. We understand that a few of our customers will be saddened by this, but going forward, we will not be offering samples of eyeshadows and eyeliners. We will continue to provide you free eye shadow samples with your orders and hope that this is a way to find new favorites.
We believe finding your foundation shade is important and can be difficult online - so we will still offer foundation samples, as well as blush, finishing powder, bronzer and concealer samples. But for eyeshadows and eye liners, products where matching is not really involved, rest assured that you can read our descriptions, ask our advice if you like and make your choices with confidence…because if you don’t love it, you can return it. See our Pure Satisfaction Guarantee for details.
If you’ve been eyeing the Cold Outside holiday collection, but wondering if you could really pull off those vivid, cool tones, we hope this helps. We applied the colors to our model, Nikki, so you can see how fantastic they look on a real person.
Nikki is wearing Beige 4 foundation and the entire “Cold Outside” collection. We applied Snowdrift from her lashes to her brows, and then put Snow Angel on the inner 2/3 of her lid. With a damp brush, we lined under her lower lashes with Snow Angel. We then applied Jack Frost to the outer 1/3 of her lid, and blended it gently into the crease. With a damp brush, we lined her upper lashes with Jack Frost.
We gently applied a little Rosy Cheeks to the apples of her cheeks, and slicked on some Cranberry Organic Nourishing Lip Balm as the finishing touch. We think Nikki looks beautiful! Her image is unretouched.
One easy way to bring a little drama to your holiday look is to wear your eyeliner in this “winged” fashion. This is easier than you think – don’t be intimidated!
TIP: When experimenting with a new makeup technique, the best time is right before bed. You’re going to take your makeup off anyway, so it doesn’t matter if it gets a little messy.
WINGED LOOK: Start with one of our powdered eyeliners and a very small bowl, or the lid of the jar. Tap some product into the bowl and add a few drops of water. Mix, adding more water or powder until you get the consistency you want. Practice drawing a few lines on your hand to see if you need to add more liner for more intense color. In this demonstration, we used Luminous Shimmer Eyeliner in Paparazzi and our #33 Angle Liner Brush. The #33 is perfect for applying the eyeliner mixed with water, because it is easy to draw it on in one, smooth motion.
Begin at the inner corner of the eye and draw a line right in the roots of your eyelashes, stopping a little before you get to the outer edge. Stop before your lashline starts to angle down (or you will be drawing the eye down which is not what we want.) Now gently slope the line upward, aiming toward the end of your brow. Start small with this upwards motion, you can add to it later for a more intense effect.
Go back over this line, thickening it, not being so careful to stay at the roots of the lashes. Taper the line to a point as shown. If this “tail” at the end looks too far away from your lashes, fill in underneath, working from your point back towards the lashes.
Open your eyes and examine your line. How does it look with your eyes open? Do you need to extend the line further, or did you go too far? Is the line smooth? Touch up as needed.
The sudden drop in temperature here leaves no doubt, winter truly is just around the corner! And as the weather changes and the last traces of any tan you had fades into oblivion, you may want to consider updating the contents of your makeup bag for the season.
Comfort is key when the weather gets colder, so it is always a good idea to have a moisturizer that you can apply to hands, elbows or even your face when you really need some moisture. Coconut oil is a great choice, you can easily transfer some from a larger container into a small jar, and because it is solid at room temperature, you don’t need to worry about leaks or spills.
To add a little color back to your face, carry a bronzer that is slightly darker than your natural skintone and a blush with a rosier tone. Satin Matte Blush in Antique Rose, Honey Rose and Desert Rose are great options, as are Bronzers like Maricaibo, Mauna Loa and Trinidad.
When the skies are dull, add a bit more brightness to your look with a Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow with not-so-subtle sparkle. Buttercream, Venus, Paris or Leone are easy to sweep all over the eye area and look great with or without a contour color.
Finally, switch from a drying lipstick to our moisturizing Organic Nourishing Lip Balm. Cranberry gives lipstick-like coverage, but provides anti-oxidants and moisture at the same time.
Meet Jenn, the second of our Alima Pure Naturally Gorgeous models.
When we first met Jenn, we were captivated by her ready smile and natural exuberance. She’s one of those people who, after spending just a short period of time in her presence, you feel as if you have known her for years. And if you did, maybe you’d be lucky enough to be invited to a dinner party at her house…she is apparently a fearless hostess! Read on to see…
Alima Pure: What do you do for a living?
Jenn: Office Manager at a High Tech company in downtown Portland – I fondly think of myself as the “den mom.”
AP: What do you do for fun?
J: Ride my bikes, bird-watch, travel the world, bake, read non-fiction.
AP: Pets?
J: One black and white cat named Dorothy Rabbit – the softest cat in the world, we sell tickets!
AP: What do you really care about?
J: I care about the health and well being of the planet and the health and well being of all the creatures on it.
AP: How do you define beauty?
J: Someone who respects herself and has balance in her life is always beautiful. Intelligence, honesty and humor are wonderful beauty aids.
AP: What inspires you?
J: Nature, music, kind people.
AP: What scares you?
J: People who have made up their minds about everything. Meanness. Going downhill really fast on my bike.
AP: What surprises people about you?
J: That I live in Portland and I don’t drink beer OR coffee!
(AP Note: That really IS surprising!)
AP: Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
J: Julia Child, Albert Einstein, MFK Fisher, David Attenborough, Eleanor Roosevelt, Pablo Neruda, Jane Goodall.
AP: Really? Julia Child? Would you do the cooking yourself?
J: Yes, I think I would cook for Julia Child. One of my favorite things I learned from her books is that she very firmly says ““….never apologize for the food you prepare…I don’t believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make… Usually one’s cooking is better than one thinks it is. And if the food is vile,…then the cook must simply grit her teeth and bear it with a smile- and learn from her mistakes.” She also says that you don’t have to cook fancy or masterpieces, just good simple food from fresh ingredients – I can do that! Can’t you just hear her voice saying that? Love her. (Quotes from Julia Child, My Life in France.)
AP: What makes you feel beautiful?
J: Smiling, exercise and spoiling my skin with care.
AP: Do you have any beauty challenges?
J: Mostly my own insecurity – I constantly have to refrain myself from comparing myself physically to all the beautiful women in the world – it seems to be a bad habit women get themselves into. After I work on that discipline. I mostly have to work on keeping my activity level up so I’m comfortable in my clothes. I also have very fair and pinky-blotchy skin, which I’m horribly self-conscious about. I like to feel like my nose isn’t red like a strawberry and my vitiligo isn’t too obvious!
We think Jenn is Naturally Gorgeous! To get her look:
We started with our Color Balancing Powder in Pistachio, applied with the #25 Foundation brush to tone down a little redness. We then applied Satin Matte Foundation in Neutral 2 with a #25 brush, and then used some on the #3 Concealer brush where she needed a little extra coverage. Then we added a bit of Satin Matte Blush in Pink to the apples of her cheeks with our #17 Blush Brush.
On her eyes, we used Satin Matte Eye Shadow in Fawn as a base, from lashes to brows, with the #37 brush. This matte shade is great for neutralizing the lid color so that colors show up more true. We then contoured the crease with Satin Matte Eye Shadow in Putty and the #36 brush. On the lid, we added a bit of Luminous Shimmer Shadows in Aubergine and Black Orchid, both with the #36 brush. The eye was lined with Luminous Shimmer Eye Liner in Carnevale on a damp #33 brush, and her brows were filled in with Satin Matte Shadow in Raven on a dry #33 brush.
We slicked Organic Nourishing Lip Balm in Rhubarb on Jenn’s lips, and she was ready for her close-up!
