A lot of you may have come across the brand Physician’s Formula once or twice, it’s been around for quite a while, popping in and out of stores. I love the brand and their innovative concepts, but the problem I’ve alway had with PF is that the displays always looked tired and empty. Such potential, but no love!
It was quite sad really, like a little make-up child with no mother to care for it! This was particularly upsetting given the exciting products and large range of products that Physicians Formula offered in the USA. I was always cursing the USA shoppers (again) who had access to those lovely products when the Aussie PF stands looked like they needed a good dusting! (and I did get a bit giddy last time I was in the US and entered a drugstore lined with Physicians Formula’s shiny packets).
Well, good news beauties, no longer will we be denied this awesome product line in Australia. No need to take a 14 hour flight to get giddy over this stuff. Physicians formula has been rescued and renewed.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the brand, you’re in for a treat. Physicians Formula are a little different to your usual mass market cosmetics brand, they have what they call a “a unique problem-solution approach” to makeup and other cosmetics, and they prefer to address “skin imperfections, rather than focusing simply on changing fashion trends.” This means that they have strong products that will become permanent must haves in your makeup collection, like great foundations or colour correcting powders that you won’t be able to do without. They do of course offer colour cosmetics too, I’m a big fan of the products they have for different coloured eyes. But these products are about YOU not the current catwalk trend. I think that’s pretty cool!
Now finally, on to the fun stuff. You may have noticed the bright new stands for Physicians Formula popping up in your local Priceline stores (this is now the only place they are available). And with those bright new stands and exciting product come the much hyped about Happy Booster products that I know a lot of Aussie beauty junkies have been drooling over for a while now.
The Happy Booster range consists of powders, bronzers and blushers that consist of the unique ’Happy Boost Blend’ of ingredients which are exclusive to PF and use Aroma Therapy, Tactile Therapy and Colour Therapy to make you well, feel happier! Here is what Physician’s Formula says about their ingredients:
They include: Happy Skin – Derived from Arctic Rose, it mimics the effect of endorphins, also known as “happy molecules” for a sense of wellness and pleasure Euphoryl – Rich in Omega-3, a known anti-depressant that has been linked to the production of Dopamine which promotes happiness Murumuru Seed Butter & Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter –Provides an exceptionally silky smooth feel while increasing skin luminosity. Mood Enhancing Fragrance – A blend of fresh violet floral notes that invigorate and refresh your mood
So what do you think beauties? Do products have the power to make you feel happier?
I purchased the light bronzer in this range in the US, and I was going to photograph it for you for this post, but it’s been a little, ah, loved. So it’s just about empty! But I do have the Happy Booster Face Powder in Beige to show you, and the Happy Booster Blush in Rose. Read on!
The Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Face Powder comes in Translucent and Beige and also in Light Bronzer and Bronzer shades. I have the one in light bronzer as mentioned before, and beige which is a nicelightish powder, relatively sheer, so most skin tones in the fair to medium range could wear it. It has various beige shades of embossed hearts, some shimmer, some matte, and one little soft pink heart. A swirl with a fluffy brush (or the mini brush that comes with it) mixes all these lovelies together to get your ‘mood-boosting’ shade.
It comes in a gorgeous shimmery red compact, which opens up to a mirror inside and a portable brush, also cutely colour coordinated in pink and red. The packaging is study and pretty, and the powder compact is around the same size as a MAC skinfinish, or just a touch bigger.
Worn alone, this subtle slightly glowy powder gives a lovely sheen to the skin, slightly sunkissed but still barely there. I have only one silly little gripe about this product, and it really is pretty irrelevant. It comes beautifully boxed, but it’s a bit of pain to get out! It’s actually glued to the box inside, and is really hard to get out. You get left with a bit of goobery junk on your product which is no fun! see pics:
This didn’t happen with the blush however, just a little thing for PF to take note of I think!
And as for the blush, here it is:
This is the shade ‘Rose’ but it also comes in a less intense shade called ‘natural’. The blush is lovely, highly pigmented but also workable so if you just want the lightest hint of colour. The hearts are pretty similar to the powder in that some are shimmery, some are not. But it doesn’t have as much sheen to it when it’s applied to the skin, I’d say the face powder is more glowy. Its a little smaller in size too, here are the two products together so you can see the difference, they also both come in the same kind of compact with the pretty little brush:
Mood Boosting Rose Blush (left) and Beige Powder - and their matching brushes (below).
A light touch of the blush in Rose, over the Beige powder
These products are both total winners in my opinion. Even if they are on the expensive side for a “drugstore” brand, the quality is apparent. I really think Physicians Formula is up there as a premium product. The blush goes for $21.95 and the face powder for $29.95 – but you certainly get bang for your buck. Its always worthwhile to keep an eye on the Priceline catalogue too, they have lots of sales and 3 for 2 offers on all their brands.
Just one final note on Mood Beauty and what it is, according to PF it’s: “where makeup, joy, and well-being intersect, with products that offer inner happiness and outer beauty” -I’m not sure if I was over the moon while wearing these products but they really are sweet, pretty and smell and feel great.
That – in any product – makes this beauty junkie smile!
xxxBeautyScholar
