Loose Powder

After I received my z-palettes, I started to research ways to depot my eyeshadows. But I was having trouble finding out how to depot bareMinerals READY Foundations.

So I decided to write up my own tutorial for it. Figuring it shouldn’t be too hard, right? Famous Last words.

Tools:

• bareMinerals READY compact

• X-acto Knife (or anything flat and sharp)

• Halogen Lamp (I got the lamp idea from Beauty Vibes, like her, I don’t have a flat iron.)

• Tissues and/or paper towels

• Nail Polish Remover or Rubbing Alcohol

Basically all you need to do is place a tissue paper over the lamp face and place your compact on the lamp. Since my lamp doesn’t turn upside down easily. I had to lean it on its back, balance it between two boxes, and work very hard to not burn myself.

I let the compact sit for about 2 minutes since my lamp gets very hot very quickly. If after 2 minutes and the pot still won’t budge, I’d put it on for another 2 minutes. But usually after about 5 minutes the pot is already very hot, and you don’t want to melt the container.

When the container is hot enough, take a X-acto knife and wedge it into the gap between the pot and container. Then carefully try to wedge the pot out. This takes some patience. If the pot is still being stubborn, let it heat on the lamp for another minute and try again. Eventually the pot will pop out. Depending on the contents, there is a possibility of it cracking a bit. For the READY foundation, bronzer, and blush, I didn’t have any cracking problems at all. However, for the the READY Touch-Up finishing Veil, I did have minor cracks along the side. But not enough to be considered damaged.

I used the same method to depot the bareMineral concealer as well. You don’t have to worry about that cracking since it’s a cream. Just be aware that it might melt a bit from the heat. Just let it sit for a bit to “harden” before you start working on wedging the pot of the container.

After struggling with the container to pop the pan out, I placed the product face down on a paper towel and used nail polish remover on another paper towel to rub the tacky glue from the bottom of the pan. You can use rubbing alcohol, but I found the acetone in nail polish remover to be much more effective in removing all the residue.

Once the back is clean, you can pop your depotted makeup into your magnetic palette of choice. I highly recommend z-palettes.

WARNING: Halogen lamps are VERY HOT and once you remove your compact from the lamp face. DON’T FORGET to also remove the tissue you place between the compact and the lamp face. You don’t want the tissue to burn and start a fire. I may have left a tissue for over five minutes once and it started to smoke.

This month’s Birchbox was a Beauty School Supply Kit, featuring some samples as well as a booklet with some beauty tips! It also came in a special outer box the same color as a No.2 pencil.

Aside from the fold-out Beauty School booklet, this is what I got in my box:

• Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy La Fleur
• Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm, Foundation, and Concealer
• whish Shave Crave
• Schick Hydro Silk Razor
• Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream

I’m not a fan of the Juicy fragrance line, but the Viva la Juicy La Fleur has a nicer floral fragrance than the other one I’ve previously sampled. It’s not my sort of scent, though, so I wouldn’t buy it.

The beauty balms (bb creams) that have been coming coming out in the US have been disappointing and Stila‘s is no different. Now, if you’re looking for a nice tinted moisturizer, this might work for you, but it was a miss for me. The foundation worked okay, as did the concealer, but they weren’t impressive enough for me to buy.

I’ve seen Yu-Be cream on a few blogs, so it was a nice surprise to get it in this month’s box! It works okay on rough skin and cracked heels (which is where I tested it). I think with continued use, it would soften the skin, but I am not a fan of the camphor scent, which is a little stronger than I’d like. Of course, if you’re using it at night it might not matter. I’ll keep using the sample tube and decide if I want a full size when I finish that.

Now the item I was not at all interested in – the Schick Hydro Silk Razor. I love my Merkur safety razor because it gives me an excellent shave and the replacement blades are so inexpensive. Since I made the switch, I’ve gone back an retried multi-blade razors and find they don’t work quite as well. In fact, I usually end up cutting myself with those more than with my Merkur. Of course, the downside of a safety is that you can’t pack it in a carry-on bag when flying, so I will probably just hold on to this for those instances.

Finally… I absolutely love that Whish Shave Crave non-foaming shave cream. It was kind of strange at first, since I’m so used to building lather on a brush. This cream is made from natural and organic ingredients and is paraben, sulfate, petrochemical, TEA, & DEA free.

I scooped out a little of this cream and worked it into a thin lather on wet skin. It provided a great shave with little effort. The one thing that I didn’t like was that the cream is so thick, it does gum up the razor a bit, so it required extra rinsing and a more thorough cleaning after I was done shaving. I would probably buy this again as it would be a great product for traveling when you can’t spare the space for a soap, brush, and shave bowl.

This wasn’t my favorite box so far, but the Whish shave cream was a great discovery, so I’m pretty happy with it.

Birchbox is a monthly subscription service. For $10 a month, you’ll receive a box of four to five deluxe sized samples in the mail.

While I like being surprised by the items in my monthly Birchbox, I also like being able to pick the samples I get from Beauty Army. This month, I actually ended up retaking my Beauty Profile survey a few times to get different sample choices and ended up with several great things to try!

I still love the hinged boxes these samples come in. I’ve repurposed them to hold my collection of samples while my empty Birchboxes are being saved for gift wrapping. Anyway, the samples I picked covered a nice range or purposes:

• Aquolina Pink Sugar Body Mousse
• Pur-lisse Pur-lip Comfort daily Lip Nourisher
• Skinprep FX Nourishing Foundation Primer & Anti-Aging Serum
• My Face Cosmetics MyMix Foundation – Fair 02
• M.A.D Skincare Redness Rescue
• Chella Razor with Brush & Comb

The first thing I tried when I got this box was the M.A.D Skin Care Redness Rescue. I don’t get a lot of pimples, but my face likes to flare up with these random red spots that last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple hours. Redness Rescue didn’t make a noticeable difference the first time I tried it – the red spot was still there after 30 min – but I’ll try it a few more times before making a decision.

The Aqolina Pink Sugar Body Mousse really does make my skin soft after applying, but I’m not so keen on the scent. It has a sweet smell, but underneath it there was a scent that reminded me of Avon Skin So Soft. I’ll probably use the rest of the sample (which I put in a jar) but wouldn’t buy a full size.

I tried the MyFace Cosmetics MyMix foundation for a couple of days. It has a runny consistency and spreads pretty easily. It wasn’t drying and felt a little like a moisturizer, but once it was on my face I was constantly aware that there was something on my face, which is exactly what I hate about liquid foundations. Here are some swatches of the foundation:

You can see in the swatches above that the coverage is light. It does reduce the redness and even out my skin, but it doesn’t cover any blemishes. Also, it transfers a lot when I touch my face, so I don’t think it do so well in hot weather. On the other hand, for a quick errand run, this would be good to put on and get out the door without too much fuss. I’ll probably use up the tube before I decide whether I’d buy a full size or not.

I do like the Pur-Lisse Pur-Lip Nourisher. I’ve been applying it at night before bed and while it does have an oily feel, my lips still feel moisturized when I get up in the morning.

Here’s a closer look at the Chella razor with comb:

I’ve actually been meaning to get a razor like this for a while. If you’re not familiar, these are for trimming the tops of your eyebrows because you’re not supposed to pluck those hairs (even though I have). This one by Chella comes with a cap that has a comb and brush. I think this works very well, but one razor retails for $10 which is a bit much when you can get a set of 3 at Sally Beauty for $5.

So, all in all, this was another great selection from Beauty Army. For $12, I think it’s still worth it, though I wish there were more make-up samples.

After reading a bunch of reviews online about various types of mineral powders with SPF protection, I decided to try Sheer Miracle. I purchased sample sizes of their foundation, finishing powder, blush, bronzer, and green and pink concealers.

The samples come in 1g jars, and they are sealed and clearly labeled. I was surprised to see that the foundation and finishing veils were full 1g jars with sifters. They were definitely worth the $2.50 price. It looks as though the foundation and mineral veils sample would last me about a month of daily use, since I only use a light coverage. The Green concealer and blush are also a decent amount, they are nowhere near full, but they do have quite a few uses in them. For the Pink concealer, since it is a cream it only comes with literally one tiny drop in the jar. For $2.50 I think that is a bit much. I’m sure there are a few uses in the sample, but it would be nice if the single drop were a bit bigger.

Mineral Foundation – Medium Light Neutral and Medium Tan

I generally use Medium Beige for Bare Escentuals foundations, and since I wasn’t sure what color I was for Sheer Miracle, I decided to try the Medium Light Neutral and the Medium Tan. Unfortunately, both colors didn’t work for me. The Medium Light Neutral ended up having a yellow undertone instead of a neutral undertone. As for the Medium Tan, even after being out in the sun hiking for hours, it was still a bit dark for me. Maybe after vacationing in Hawaii for a week, I can use the Medium Tan.

Aside from the poor color matching, the foundations are not matte so they still have a light shimmer to the powders, but not as much as the Bare Escentuals Original foundation, but the light shimmers does not bother me. The foundation gives pretty decent coverage and feels very light. Additionally, it is SPF 30 and I am all for longer sun protection for my face. It’s too bad the colors did not work for me. I would have loved to have had an alternate brand of foundation that cost less than Bare Escentuals.

Bronzer

Sheer Miracle only has one color for bronzer. I found the color to be a bit dark. I prefer my bronzer to be a bit lighter since my skin is already slightly tanned. But I guess with the darker bronzer color I just need very little of the bronzer, so the product would definitely last me a long time.

Blush – Sienna Rose

I picked Sienna Rose because it was recommended for those with Medium complexion. The sample has quite a bit of blush, and the blush is very pigmented like the bronzer. Just a very tiny bit of blush is enough to give your cheeks some color. I usually just tap the excess blush powder off of the cap and dip my brush lightly on the residual blush powder clinging to the cap for the amount of blush I use on my cheek, which is still ample color to give me a rosy hue. At first I thought it might be too much pigment to my liking, but the blush blends very well and gave me natural rosy cheeks with a hint of rouge.

The blush color is a rose color and has a bit of a shimmer in it, but when it is applied to the face, I don’t notice any shimmer on my face.

Finishing Veil – Matte

I really like this finishing veil. The veil is very light and you only need a little bit of powder for your whole face. Usually I would just dunk my kabuki brush once into the jar and that is more than enough to cover my whole face. This finishing veil kind of reminds me of the E.L.F. HD powder.

1g jar with sifter

Finishing Veil – Glow

Apparently, Sparkle is the new “Glow” because this finishing veil is SPARKLY. When I say sparkly, I mean sparkly because just after a dunk of my brush and a once over on my face, I looked like Twilight vampire. A couple years ago, this look might be fun, but if you do not want to look like the latest vampire fad. I would avoid this veil and stick to the matte. However, if you plan to be a sparkling fairy for Halloween, this veil would be perfect.

Concealer – Green

The Green concealer works pretty well, but because I wear such a light coverage of foundation on my face, I have to work a bit on blending the green in to prevent looking like I have splotches of green on face. However, the concealer does give decent coverage. I may prefer using this concealer under a liquid foundation, but that’s just me.

Concealer – Pink

This pink under eye concealer is a cream and “more than meets the eye” is the first thing that pops into mind when I see the little pink dot in the sample jar. The little dot sample of the pink concealer does go a long way because you need very little to get the coverage you need under your eyes. I’ve used this sample for a while, and I still have quite a lot of the tiny dot left. The light pink color works well to lighten the dark under eye circles and goes on very smoothly. Also because of the lightness of the pink it blends easily with foundation.

Since becoming more active with outdoor activities, I have been looking for an alternative foundation that was sweat resistant, protected my skin, and had a light tint that smoothed out my blemishes like a foundation. Because I could not use just any kind of moisturizer, I had to find one that had all of the above in addition to being oil free, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and paraben free.

I hit the jackpot when I found Physicians Formula’s New Healthy Wear Tinted Moisturizer. It contained everything I was looking for and it was SPF 50 since most makeup with SPF protection tends to stop at SPF 15. Though recently there have been higher SPF cosmetics being produced.

SPF 15 is sufficient protection for your skin. A higher Sun Protection Factor (SPF) number only means that your skin is protected longer. The number basically says that your skin is protected x times longer from burning than without sunscreen. So I tend to like higher SPF products because I have a bad habit of not reapplying sunscreen in a timely fashion.

I usually use one or two pumps of the moisturizer, and the coverage of this tinted moisturizer is quite decent and it is like having a light weight liquid foundation on. Though I have to admit, this tinted moisturizer does make my skin a bit oily, but I usually dust my face with a mineral veil to control oil and shine on my face.

I have gone hiking and snowboarding for hours using this tinted moisturizer as my main facial sun protection and it does its job. After hours of sweating and exposure to the hot sun, my face remains burn free. Of course, I don’t suggest you go hiking for 13 hours without a hat or other supplemental sun protection.

I use this tinted moisturizer as an alternate foundation for my face when I know I will be outdoors, swimming, or sweating. I highly recommend this product if you are looking for a cheaper tinted moisturizer that gives you coverage and protects your face from the damaging rays of the sun.

I have never used a foundation primer until I went to Sephora and had a little bit applied onto my face as I got color matched for some bareMineral foundation. After that little taste of foundation primer and how soft and silky it made my skin feel, I was hooked. However, I was not hooked enough to want to spend $21 on a tiny bottle of primer. So before going on a splurge, I got a couple samples of bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer and the Oil Control version to make sure they didn’t cause me to breakout.

Prime Time Foundation Primer (1 fl oz. – $21)

This primer goes on smoothly and evens out my skin. I love the silky feeling I get from the primer, and it also keeps my foundation powder on longer. The silky feeling from the primer isn’t very oil and is quickly absorbed into the skin though after using this for a couple days it caused me to have minor breakouts.

Pros: makes skin feel soft and silky, not too oily, a good foundation primer

Cons: Expensive, causes minor breakouts on my oily skin.

Prime Time Oil Control Foundation Primer (1 fl oz. – $21)

This primer is a lot thicker than the regular formula. The sample mini jar I had had a dollop of primer and it remained that way until I used it all. As for the regular primer, it is a lot oilier and the moment it was put in the jar it just started to coat the bottom of the jar, but the primer isn’t runny or watery just a bit viscous and not a thick gel like the Oil Control.

I found that because of the thickness of the Oil Control primer, I had to use more primer to cover my whole face, and it did not leave the nice silky feeling that the regular primer had. Also after about two hours, my face would feel very oily, oiler than usual, and I would have to blot out excess facial oil with blotting tissue. Maybe that is the function of oil control and it supposed to keep oil off the skin, but I really did not like the feeling of oil all over my T-zone. Also the primer sort of smelled like glue.

Despite these issues I had with the Oil Control Primer, the primer still did its job in keeping my foundation on; smoothing out my face and making my pores look smaller.

Pros: Works well as primer for mineral powders, did not cause breakouts

Cons: Expensive, primer is thick, does not have silky texture when applied, makes my skin feel very oily, smells like glue

After trying out these samples, I still could not bring myself to spend $21 on a tiny bottle of primer. But Cyn directed me to the Eyes Lips Face (E.L.F.) website and mentioned their primer ran for nearly half of the price of bareMinerals. So I figured it couldn’t hurt and gave it a try.

E.L.F. Mineral Infused Face Primer (.49 fl oz. – $6)

This primer was everything that I hoped for. Just a little pump and I have enough primer to cover my whole face. My face feels silky smooth and it does not cause me to break out. The primer is a great base for my powder foundation and does everything that the bareMinerals primer did. Though the main difference between primers is that it is not as viscous as the bareMinerals Prime Time formula, but the E.L.F primer is far from watery. Though the first time I used the primer, it did come out very watery, but it might have been because it was a really hot day because the next time I used it, the primer came out as a gel and has always been a gel-like texture ever since.

There have been complaints about the bottle pump being cheaply made and it stops pumping after several uses, but I have been using my bottle for a while and have not had any problems with the pump. The only minor problem I have is that the cap for the bottle is a bit loose and has a tendency to fall off when in my makeup bag.

Also you don’t need a lot of the primer to cover your whole face. I usually use only half a pump and it is more than enough to cover my entire face, so this little bottle should last you a while.

Overall I am very happy with the E.L.F. primer and will probably stick to it because it is much more cost effective for my tight budget.

Pros: Makes skin feel silky and soft, cheaper price, good foundation primer for mineral powders, has not caused me to breakout yet, don’t need a lot for whole face

Cons: A bit small, but two bottles of these still costs less than the other brand, cap for bottle not tight

I found this Flawless Complexion Kit when I was browsing at Target and searching for a mineral face powder and blush. When I came across this kit, I thought it was perfect. The kit included a Mineral Face Powder, Matte Finishing Veil, and Blush all for $19.95, and they were all Talc-Free.  Just the mineral face powder and blush alone are about $25 total, so I figured this kit would be a steal even if I ended up not liking the Matte Finishing Veil.

I’ve have only seen two complexion colors offered in this kit: Light and Medium.  The kit I have is for Medium complexion.  The Mineral Face Powder is in Beige, the Matte Finishing Veil is in Translucent, and the Mineral Blush is in Nude Glow.

Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Face Powder – Beige

So far I quite like Physicians Formula’s Mineral Face Powder.  The powder is very lightweight and it feels as if I have nothing on my face.  The face powder includes a mirror and brush in the compact. I have to say it now; I loathe the brushes that come with the Physicians Formula compacts.  At first I thought they were handy to have, and they are when you don’t have access to a proper brush, but I found that using a flat mini brush to powder my whole face took forever, and I was paranoid about leaving streaks of powder on my cheeks or forehead.  So I tend to use my own powder brush to apply the face powder.   Aside from the brush, I like the face powder.  It gives me the minimal coverage I look for in a foundation powder and it manages to even out my complexion after applying concealer.

Mineral Wear Talc-Free Matte Finishing Veil – Translucent

This matte finishing veil is a loose powder in a container that has a brush attached to the head.  The idea of this design is for the powder to flow through the brush without having to go through the mess that comes with using a brush on loose powders.  Additionally, there is a small mirror on the cap.  I hardly use the mirror because it is very small, and I prefer using a mirror bigger than my thumb to apply my makeup.

At first I wasn’t sure if any powder was coming through the “flow through” brush, but after closer observation, I noticed that powder was coming out of the brush.  As you can see in the picture, it is lighter in the center of the brush where the powder flows through.  Eventually I could feel the powder on my face as well as I applied it over the mineral face powder. I like how it is a very light layer of powder, and it also helps to smooths out my complexion a bit more and eliminates shine.  But there have been times when I forget to apply the finishing veil or just don’t bother because the mineral face powder does a pretty good job by itself.  The matte finishing veil is nice to have, but not necessary for my makeup routine.

Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Blush – Nude Glow

Like the mineral face powder, I do not use the brush that comes with the blush, but aside from that, I like the color of the blush.  It is a pretty neutral color.  It’s a color that does not stand out too much, but it still gives color to my cheeks.  If you are going for the natural minimalistic look, this blush color definitely contributes to the look.

I recently started using this Flawless Complexion Kit as it was intended after I started to run out of my usual liquid foundation. Usually I used the products in this kit to complement other products that I already use.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by the final look achieved by just using these three products.  Previously, I was under the impression that with the badly blemished skin I have, I would need liquid foundation for better coverage.  But even without liquid foundation, the mineral powder and matte finishing veil managed to smooth out my complexion and give me a matte finished look. It was even able to smooth out my very blemished complexion. Please keep in mind to achieve this smoothness on my severely blemished skin; I would put concealer on my blemishes before applying the mineral powder all over my face. This combination manages to give me a final look that is very similar to as if I had used a liquid foundation, if not a more natural look because the mineral face powder is much more lightweight and does not clog my pores, and this is a plus in my book.

At the request of Cyn, I am posting before and after pictures of my test. I apologize in advance for giving anyone nightmares. First picture is me with a clean face. It’s quite horrifying. Again I apologize. Second picture is after I’ve applied concealer then applied the Flawless Complexion Kit. Last picture is after I’ve added bronzer and eye makeup.

The first time I used BareMinerals foundation was in 2001. I will admit to being sucking in by the non-stop infomercials all over TV, but after having used the original formula for over 5 years, I thought the coverage was great and I didn’t feel like I had a mask on face — all the things that were advertised.

There was one drawback to this foundation, though: it made my face itch. This happened over time and I kind of ignored it, thinking it was something else. Well, using my Mad Google Skillz, I discovered that a fair number of people were also having the same reaction and it was likely due to the bismuth oxycholoride. This mineral has not been shown to be toxic, but apparently, it can be an irritant. Their mineral eye shadows with bismuth were also making my eyes itch, so I had to search for alternatives.

After trying various samples from smaller mineral makeup companies, I settled on Everyday Minerals. I thought their prices were fair and when I started with them, they had great sample kits so I could figure out my color. Admittedly, their foundation didn’t have the same sort of coverage as BareMinerals, but their products don’t contain bismuth or talc so I could use them without a problem.

Recently, I received a mailing stating that BareMinerals had released a new SPF 15 Matte Foundation and samples would be available in Bare Escentuals boutiques and at Sephora. I had a look at the ingredients and it was certainly promising:

Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide. Inactive Ingredients: Lauroyl Lysine, Silica, Calcium Silicate, Soil Minerals. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides

The only ingredient of theirs I am skeptical of are the “active soil minerals,” but whatever. I’m not worried about some lab dirt on my face. I was really excited that they were making a bismuth free foundation! Which also means this stuff does not sparkle. Now, I am not opposed to some sparkle, but honestly, it was a bit annoying being on set and having camera crew stop and stare at me and tell me that my makeup sparkled. I know guys; I’m secretly a Cullen, okay?

Needless to say, I ran to my local Bare Escentuals boutique, got color matched, and was luck enough to get one of the last remaining samples of Light. I’ve used this foundation every day for about two weeks prior to writing this review so I could make sure I didn’t have the same reaction and that it didn’t make my face break out. Well, I can happily say that thus far, this foundation has worked a treat. Good coverage and, when paired with Tarte’s Clean Slate face primer, it lasted me 10+ hours. It is about twice as much as I was paying for my other mineral foundation, but I feel this coverage is much better and one 6g container will last me nearly a year.

In the sample set, you get a 1g pot of foundation and tiny kabuki brush. Get rid of the brush. Seriously. BareMinerals brushes are crap. The bristles are harsh and abrasive and frankly, I think they were making my skin break out. I suggest getting brushes with full heads and soft Taklon bristles, like e.l.f. or EcoTools. For mineral foundation, I like e.l.f.’s Studio Line Powder Brush.

The amount in that jar should be plenty for you to try the foundation out for a week or two. If there aren’t any more packaged samples for you, ask the sales associate at Bare Escentuals or Sephora if they could give you a sample. They’ll usually give you a small sample pot with 0.5g or whatever they dump in it.

I did a sample application so you can have a look at the coverage. Photos are taken with a flash because that harsh light is going to show all sort of stuff you don’t see in soft light or even daylight… not that my face it totally awful. The first photo is me with a clean face, followed by just the BareMinerals foundation and an EDM concealer. The last picture is after I applied blush, eye shadow, and a finishing powder.

(Blush is e.l.f. in Coral; Eye shadow is Cotton Tale by Everyday Minerals & pink from a Beauty/UK palette; finishing powder by Fyrinnae.)

Overall, I am pretty happy with the new BareMinerals Matte Foundation and I hope it continues to perform well. I’m sure you’ll hear from me if it doesn’t.

Have any of you had experiences with mineral foundations you’d like to share?

I am fickle with foundations.  I’ll be all mineral for months and then switch to a tinted moisturizer before moving back to full-coverage liquids.

When I was in the kitchens (culinary school), I was having a lot of issue with sweating off my makeup or just having magical disappearing foundation in the heat.  Mineral makeup has a longer last point than some but my skin gets itchy when I sweat; the tinted foundation that I love (Laura Mercier; maybe I’ll do another post on it) didn’t have enough coverage to last for a whole day.

And then I discovered China Doll by Napoleon Perdis.  I’d heard about it from Australian friends but hadn’t been able to find it over here until about six months ago.  It used to be available at Sephora but I think it’s switched to Ulta now.  It runs at $50/bottle, which might sound steep, but one bottle lasts at least four months —unless you’re putting way more on your face than I do.

The upshot of all this is that China Doll is a foundation plus a powder (it goes on wet and dries to a matte finish).  I love that because it saves me a whole step in my morning routine.  The coverage is very nice, solid enough to cover imperfections but not so opaque that you look like you’re wearing pancake makeup.  It needs to be applied with a foundation brush or it gets streaky.  My favorite is the Sephora Professional line.  Soft, durable, and not too expensive ($25).