It’s no secret that mineral makeup is great for the skin. Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Liquid Makeup not only has vitamins and minerals to nourish your skin, it has an SPF 20 to protect it as well. This foundation can be very subtle, or can be built up to medium coverage.

The brush on this foundation is truly a help for the makeup challenged; it makes application precise and blends flawlessly. You just turn it like you would a self- sharpening eyeliner, and the product flows into the brush!

Neutrogena infused this foundation with minerals and antioxidants to improve the texture and clarity of our skin. We noticed an improvement after a week of use.

Those of you with problem skin will be especially happy to know that this foundation is oil and fragrance free.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

WetnWild BeautyBenefits has come out with a line of affordable, high quality make up brushes. We tried their deluxe concealer brush and loved the whisper soft bristles. It’s dual-ended, one side is for the concealer, the other for the setting powder (this brush is designed for their Color CorRx Concealer Kit). We found the side for the setting powder is also the perfect eyeshadow brush. The brush is also anti-microbial, which is a must for the eye area. Remember that even if a makeup brush is bacteria resistant, it’s still important to clean it on a regular basis. Even better: the brush is made of synthetic hair so no animals were harmed.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

CoverGirl Lipslicks Lipgloss is a classic that has been around for quite some time, so it’s no wonder CoverGirl didn’t discontinue this product. It gives you the moisturizing benefits of a chapstick with the high shine of a gloss. This product is ideal for women who don’t like makeup but would like a dash of color, or for teens just starting to get into makeup. Lipslicks Lipgloss is very lightweight, but will keep your lips soft all day. It goes perfectly underneath lipstick; we didn’t realize how heavy chapstick was until we tried Lipslicks. We tried shade 110 Princess, a very light pink,  which is most flattering on pale skin. If you have a medium complexion, rosy pinks are best such as 130 Daring. If you have a dark complexion, skip the pastels and try a berry pink like 125 Edgy.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

As summer approaches it’s time to start wearing bronzers again. Black Radiance, which has always been an economically priced brand geared toward African-Americans, has come out with a bronzing shimmer stick that is suitable for all complexions and skin types. It has a great consistency, so it really rubs into the skin well. When you put it on you can just keep blending it until you get the level of subtlety that you are comfortable with.You can use this shimmer stick on your eyes, cheeks, or body for a natural glowing finish. Have oily skin? Use the shimmer stick BEFORE your loose powder, and it will last all day.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

We have found the ultimate self-indulgence in Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Wet Cleansing Towelettes. Everyone knows that you’re not supposed to go to bed with make up on, but imagine the convenience of just wiping it off in the car on the way home from a late night. Or taking a swipe at your makeup and doing it over without soap and water when you’re going out after work.  We found so many uses for this product that it’s already time to purchase some more.  Our favorite so far was correcting eye makeup mishaps.

Makeup removers usually fall in one of two categories. Either they take your makeup off effectively but leave you with stinging eyes because of the harsh ingredients, or they are  ‘gentle’, leaving a smear of makeup across your face. The Garnier towelettes actually removed our makeup thoroughly without hurting our eyes, and left our skin feeling soft and refreshed. For those of you who are impatient, you will really like how quickly this product works. You don’t have to use the towelette that long at all, in about three swipes your make up is dissolved.

Garnier Towelettes are oil free and contain ingredients that nourish your skin. Vitamin E and Grape Extract antioxidant work to detoxify your skin. Vitamin B5 moisturizes your skin, so you remove makeup not moisture.  And Green Leaf Extract soothes. There is no residue left behind, just clean skin.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

Getting your nails done at a salon is not only expensive; it’s time consuming. Getting acrylics is truly a commitment. In order to keep acrylic nails, you have to make a visit every 2 weeks. And a noticeable gap emerges between the cuticle and the acrylic nail in one week. In addition, if you decide to take the nails off, it takes valuable time soaking your fingers in acetone to get them completely off. Your nails have to be buffed down to put on acrylics, so you’re left with dry, brittle nails.

If you like the look of acrylics but don’t have the time or money to get your nails done at the salon, you would really like the Kiss Custom Nail Kit. When you think of press on nails you might have visions of fake nails popping off at every opportunity, but this product has really improved on that. A number one reason that press on nails come off is that they’re not quite the right shape. So you’re gluing a piece of plastic to your fingernail that’s doesn’t quite fit. The Kiss nail kit has 36 nails and 20 sizes. So if your nails are flat, tiny, or large, you are bound to find the perfect fit.

What we liked the most about this product was how easy it was to use.  In about 10 minutes we had salon worthy nails.  We are canceling our nail appointments and keeping boxes of these on hand.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

Usually long wearing lipliner is synonymous with dry as sandpaper. The Revlon ColorStay Lipliner is long lasting, but it doesn’t have a dry feel to it at all. The self-sharpening liner glides over your lips and does not settle into lines. It blended well with our lipstick and worked well with our gloss. If you want marathon wear, you can fill your lips in with the lipcolor then add lipstick. If you are just looking for some definition, try putting on gloss FIRST then put the lipliner on top of it.

We tried the full coverage Pink (shade 650), but sheer and clear shades are also available.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

Women are aware by now that most premature aging is caused by the sun.  A great deal of moisturizers on the market have an SPF of 15, but Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Ageless Daily Moisturizer has an SPF of 30.  The high SPF cream is not greasy, and won’t cause make up meltdown.  It contains line smoothing shiitake complex and  is hypoallergenic.

With this daily moisturizer you are preventing premature ageing while revealing younger looking skin.  We found it to be surprisingly thick for a day moisturizer, but it absorbs into the skin very well. If you live in a sun intense area like Florida or Arizona, you’ll want to use this product everyday.  Photoaging can start as early as in your mid 20’s with consistent sun exposure.  To receive $2 off any Aveeno product, go to: https://www.aveeno.com/product_coupon.jsp;jsessionid=YqwaHJnQBmj9IDHnhPOhq5AUGsE.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

Listening may seem like the easiest part of the sales call, however, this is the part where most sales people go wrong. Customers do not have the time or the patience these days to listen to sales pitch monologues blindly listing ALL of the benefits of a product or service. Instead, they are seeking solutions to problems they may have. It is up to you to get a conversation flowing, LISTEN to what they need, THEN to tell them how your product or service fills that need.

It’s been proven that people think faster than they listen. While a customer is talking at an average rate of 125 words a minute, the average salesperson is thinking at a much faster rate. Often we are thinking about what we will say and can miss completely what the customer is actually telling us. A sale can be easily lost if you miss a key point. Listening rather than talking in a sales situation is easier said than done though. Some people are born listeners; unfortunately, most of us are not. However, with some practice and patience, you can improve your listening skills:

•  Listening does not mean that you avoid talking at all in the conversation. Rather, it means that you take the time to absorb and understand what your customer is saying before you respond. This is how you discover the problem(s) so that you can provide a solution.

•  Questions are a vital part of listening. Don’t interrupt unnecessarily, but always ask questions to clarify things that you don’t understand completely. Again, successful sales are based on determining what a customer needs and providing solutions to these needs. Always focus your questions on moving toward a greater understanding of your customer’s needs.

•  Never interrupt the customer, even if you feel you already know what they are going to say. Most people like to talk about themselves or their company, so give customers a chance to fully express themselves. You never know – they might surprise you and say something different than you thought. Also, they should be more likely to listen to what you have to say if let them have their say first.

•  Be ready to take notes when important information comes up. There is too much information on a case by case basis to try and remember it all. Don’t be afraid to refer to these notes as the conversation continues. Accuracy and attention to detail is always appreciated and will give your customer confidence in your fulfilling their order correctly.

•  Pay attention to facial expressions and body language. If on the phone, listen closely to the tone of voice. Many times people say one thing, but are thinking another. Becoming an expert on non-verbal cues can help you to determine where to probe and where to pull back.

•  Be sincere. Just like you can learn to tell what people are saying non-verbally when you really listen, so too can those same attributes come across in your voice or expression. Be sincere when you are listening to customers and trying to help them solve their problems.

•  Periodically, restate the major points communicated by the customer. Rephrasing or summarizing what has been discussed shows that you’re listening and it also helps to make sure that you are interpreting correctly what the customer is saying.

•  Know your responses to common objections beforehand. This will allow you to listen more effectively as you will not be trying to mentally compose your response while the customer is still talking and possibly miss something important.

•  Finally, FOCUS. Do not do email, IM, or internet surfing while on the phone. Do not mentally compile lists of things to do on the way home, other calls to make or think about how behind you are while in a meeting. Many of us have more to do with less people to do it, but while with a customer – give them your full attention and they will return the courtesy.

Today’s successful salesperson is ultimately an effective problem solver. Practice your listening skills and you will quickly realize that as you strive to help your customers, you will be helping yourself and your sales as well.

This article was written by Tracie Gilbert, VP of Business Development at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Tracie direct at Tracie@cosmeticpromotions.com.