Some cool stuff occasionally finds its way into the newsroom.
Some weird stuff does, too. Take, for example, the hot-pink Fun Betty dye - "color for the hair down there" - that still sits in its box, unopened.
But, back to the cool stuff.
Because we're a newspaper, companies send things for us to review. Such was the case with the Temptu at-home airbrush makeup system. For those who are into makeup, no need to explain why this is such a big deal. Getting that flawless, HDTV-ready finish at home is quite the beauty advancement. The Temptu system uses self-contained pods - no messy cleanup - that dispense makeup designed to be water-resistant, sweat-proof, splash-proof and long-wearing. We rounded up two volunteers to try Temptu, which is available at Sephora.
Our testers:
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•Angelina de Callier, an independent makeup artist and hairstylist who specializes in brides. She also works at Chrome Salon; 275-8641, www.hair byangelina.com.
•Melanie Mallon, freelance editor and writer and mother of two.
Five times, de Callier applied full makeup to Mallon, using Temptu's "Warm Ivory" foundation and "Sunset Glow" highlighter as blush. De Callier uses mostly MAC products, and this was her first time handling an airbrush machine. The result, she said, was consistently great.
"I love the makeup," de Callier said. "It looked beautiful on her face. It's a great makeup line."
Mallon liked that the makeup stayed put for the whole day - even in a swamp-cooled house. "It really does last - my everyday life puts it to the test."
The good: Since brides always worry about the makeup lasting, de Callier said, Temptu's stay-put formula is a definite plus.
It does a great job covering dark-eye circles and doesn't get stuck in creases or wrinkles, de Callier reported. "It really made the skin even," she said. "It seemed as if it conditioned the skin at the same time."
Mallon loved how light-weight the products are. "It doesn't feel like I'm wearing makeup," she said.
The bad: The foundation pods - de Callier tried two - kept clogging. A trip to the Tucson Mall Sephora and following the manual's troubleshooting advice failed to relieve the problem. A handful of reviews on Sephora's website also noted issues with clogging. The instructions state that pressure can build when the pods go unused for a long period of time or are exposed to high heat.
It ended up taking a long time to apply makeup since she constantly had to unclog the pods. Such a time-suck wouldn't fly in a wedding, de Callier said, when she's doing more than a dozen people's hair and makeup.
The verdict: Mallon said she'd consider Temptu when she's back in an office setting - and ventures beyond Chuck E. Cheese. De Callier also said she'd consider the investment but would want to buy plenty of extra pods.
Where to find: Sephora at the Tucson Mall, which also offers demonstrations of the unit.
Cost of looking flawless: By our calculations, $1.22 per day for that first year after investing $225 for the machine. A two-pack of foundation pods costs $55 and lasts about 3 months.
Contact Kristen Cook at kcook@azstarnet.com or 573-4194.
