A message from a MLM distributor to ALL direct sales people everywhere!

I hesitated to post this on my blog, but it is MY BLOG, so I'm going to do it. Hopefully any of my clients that see this will appreciate the fact that above all, I am authentic and I always keep it real. I don't try to sell anyone Ooops! unless they really want oil in a tube with a lip gloss applicator for convenience and I'll be the FIRST to tell you that our Foops Makeup Remover is overpriced. Sorry, just keeping it real. 

Since I posted this on my Facebook feed, I've had several of my true friends message me to ask if I was talking about THEM when I posted this. Truth be told, I'm not thinking of any one person, but just an overall feeling that I'm getting in general when it comes to our society and how multi-level marketing is infiltrating us all. Please read on....I admit that a lot of this has come to mind after spending the last two days reading a lot of posts on LuLaRoe Defective/Ripped /Torn Leggings And Clothes as a serious lurker. If any of you reading this are ex-Lula consultants or present Lula consultants, you need to go over there, because it is educational and entertaining and horrifying all at the same time!

So here goes: 

BEGINNING

So...I don't usually post stuff like this on my personal page (or really at ALL for that matter), but I really feel the need to make sure that all of my Facebook "friends" read this so you are fairly warned. This is also going to go on my blog eventually so I can post the link back to people who I feel are being unnecessarily aggressive and pushy. And know that if you post something that I perceive as negative or nasty on MY OWN PERSONAL feed, it will be deleted. If you have something to say to me, private message me. Nothing has happened but this is just a gradual building up of my feelings over the last month after seeing how many "friends" are adding me to their friends' Facebook groups for direct sales, inviting me to networking events, or asking me to come to parties that they are hosting for their other direct sales friends.

If you are one of those people and wondering if I am talking about you, then ask yourself this. Have you ever once bought from me to support my part-time job, but never hesitate to invite me to an online party that you are hosting, having or whatever? Have you ever once come up and did a demo with me at an event? Did you ask for my card at an event under the guise of "Oh, I wear LipSense and I'd love a new distributor" but really just used it as a ploy to get another person to cold call? Have you ever once referred someone to me that maybe asked about SeneGence or LipSense? Have you approached me about signing up with your MLM out of the blue, messaged me because I haven't bought from you in a while, or asked me if I'm interested in buying something from you because "it just made you think of me"? Or the worst, did you ONLY buy something from me because you thought it was a quid pro quo and would be a way to guilt me into buying something from you? Guess what, ladies, I've been watching Lularoe and direct sales for a long time, and I've been a LipSense distributor for almost a year and a half. You're not fooling me, yourself or anyone else.

Look at my profile. Yes, I am a distributor for SeneGence International. I am also a career insurance adjuster, a wife, a mother and a friend, not in that order of importance. Just because I sell cosmetics and skin care on the side does not mean that it is my whole life.

I never want to get to the point in my life EVER where people are avoiding my texts, not wanting to go to dinner with me, feel like if they go out with me for a glass of wine that I am going to pitch how great LipSense is or try to get them to sign up to be a distributor, or anything else related to getting their business. Anyone that knows me knows that is NOT the way I operate. I don't recruit anyone for my team because I don't have one. I don't try to pressure anyone into buying.  I don't ask my family about it! I don't preach that SeneGence is the end-all, be-all to skin care and cosmetics when anyone that knows me knows that I am a serious Urban Decay and Kat Von D addict and used Lush skin care like it was going out of style before I became a distributor. Do you know WHY I don't do that? Because I don't ever want anyone to feel like I would sell my own child for a sale. I went to dinner Sunday night with a client that bought two colors and a gloss from me last summer and LipSense didn't come up in the entire meal. And would you like to know why? Because that "client" has been my very dear friend for over twenty years and I know that if she wants more LipSense or gloss, she'll ask me for it! And if you are one of my friends and feel like I have ever said anything that even remotely made you feel like you were being pressured to try LipSense (I can't imagine doing this, but perception is everything), please accept my apology. And anyone that I invited to a party who didn't want to be invited or added to a group that didn't want to be added, again, please accept my apology.

For everyone else...if the following resonates with you, think just for a second about our communications since we met and think if maybe anything you said to me or directed at me could be taken as aggressive and pushy sales tactics. And if you are annoyed with this post because it means that you just lost a potential client but don't really care about our friendship, feel free to unfriend me.

I am not directing this at any person on my feed in particular, but if you are in direct sales or crafts or are a vendor of any nature, you should know that my days of having parties for direct sales consultants are DONE.

-I don't have online parties anymore.
-I don't have in-person parties anymore.
-I don't add people to groups anymore without their express request or permission.
-I have more Lularoe in my wardrobe than I can possibly wear.
-I do not use any stick-on nail products because I am on roofs all the time and shred my nails from checking hail damage, so STOP trying to convince me that your product is awesome. I'm sure it's the cat's meow, but I have over 1,000 bottles of nail polish that I wasted money on; I think I am set in the nail department.
-STOP trying to get me to try your skin care, and respect, JUST for a second, that I sell skin care.
-STOP trying to get me to try your makeup, and respect, JUST for a second, that I sell makeup.
-For the love of all that is holy, if I want a drink mix that I can easily mix in with my water or a caffeine additive for my coffee, I know where to find you.
 -For the last time, Pink Zebra gives me migraines. I am a ten-year Scentsy user and I'm not changing!
-I don't need anti-aging haircare; my hair stylist Tiffany (and an AdvoCare rep) IS my anti-aging haircare and hopefully as we head into our second decade of knowing each other, I will never know if I have gray hair or not.
-Jewelry, yes, jewelry is my weakness, but really, I know how great your stuff is or you wouldn't be messaging me to buy more. So stop already and I'll let you know when I need something.

And finally, I am NOT going to ask my friends anymore about coming to a party; they got enough of that when I was in the midst of the Lularoe hype. So please, stop with the "well, even though you don't use Jamberry/Color Street/etcetera, that doesn't mean your friends won't" and "oh, but your friends might be interested once they see how great your nails look all the time". Just stop. Enough already. Keep it up, and you'll be unfriended.

I'm sorry, but this just really needed to be said, and if you are one of my friends that feels like I have pushed you to try LipSense and you had no interest (again, I can't think of anyone I did that with), I am truly sorry. I became a distributor because I love my products and wanted to make a little money on the side, not to lose my friends.

END

That's all. I would post a picture of Miranda from The Devil Wears Prada but I don't want to get sued for copyright infringement. So just picture Miranda with her imperious withering look and I'm happy. 

Prism Gloss: A RAINBOW of gloss flavors!

The new Prism Gloss is here and ready for sale! Please contact me if you are interested in adding this fabulous new gloss to your collection. 

I don't know what I was expecting when I got this gloss. I think in my head, I had more of a image of a mix between Opal Gloss and all of the glitters. 

I am SO happy to report that I was wrong. 

When I saw this gloss in the tube for the first time, the first reaction I had was, "wow, it's gray" and then second, "hey, that looks like my holographic nail polish top coat!" That's literally the first thought I had. What a spectacular combation of glitter colors....and you can see them indoors and in broad sunlight. I studied my hand over coffee, and clearly visible is pink, silver, gold, fuchsia, purple and iridescent glitters. Very, VERY cool effect. The suspension is blended a little more thoroughly than Diamond Kiss Gloss; you can't see any swirls of frost or glitter in it. It's a creamy application and the base reminds me a lot of Pearl Gloss in that it goes on very smoothly and evenly, but doesn't have the high-gloss shine of Glossy Gloss. 

Out of the tube, it's the same...creamy, buttery gloss. No streaks, no weird separation, nothing but pure glittery holographic goodness. 

I tried to think of a great color to compare these against, toyed with Blu-Red and Mod Magenta, seriously thought about Purple Reign and Violet Volt, and in the end decided to go with Blackberry as I thought the black would make all the various colors of glitter most easily visible. 

I'm glad I was right, although I think that this gloss would look beautiful over every color. I did notice that the gold shows up the most on my lips over Blackberry, but on my hand the multi-dimensional effect was visible. 

So here is PRISM GLOSS over Blackberry inside!

And here is Prism Gloss over Blackberry outside in the morning sun!

And on my hand over Blackberry with Diamond Kiss Gloss as a comparison:

Like diamonds and prisms, this gloss is special and limited edition. Don't miss out on your chance to get yours. 

Prism Gloss retails for $22. 

Thanks for reading!

March Madness: Come experience the wonder of SeneGence skincare and SenePlex!

For March Madness, I also have some specials that I would like to share! 

These specials will be in effect for the entire month of March AND April, so please, partake! 

If you see me in person, please mention that you saw my special in my newsletter or on my blog and I will be happy to honor it for my existing customers or if you are referred by a friend. 

(Forgive the spacing, I can't get Blogspot to cooperate with my cute lip print bullet points!

FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS DURING MARCH AND APRIL! 

COMPLIMENTARY OOOPS! COLOR REMOVER WITH ORDERS OVER $50!



ALL STARTER KITS (ONE COLOR, ONE GLOSS, AND A OOOPS!) ARE ON SPECIAL FOR $45! (Normal price is $55) 


ALL ORDERS DURING MARCH AND APRIL COME WITH A COMPLIMENTARY SAMPLE OF YOUR CHOICE OF SKIN CARE!

Mod Lipstick: Latest trend and en vogue

In keeping with the times of what is fresh, trendy, hip, and happening, SeneGence released the Prisms of Color collection on March 1.

When Violet Volt and T.E.A.M. Wicked were released, I didn't really bat an eyelash. I like Urban Decay and Kat Von D is one of my favorites. Too Faced released their Life's a Festival collection which is inspired by unicorns, and the style out there right now is that the more colorful and out there the colors are, the better. And the lip shades that are on the market in SeneGence's price point are what is in style right now. While it's not for everyone, it does seem that this is the style. Too Faced has released Mermaid Tears which is a mermaid sea-green with hints of purple sparkle that shade-shifts depending on your temperature. Urban Decay has Control, their vivid electric blue turquoise lipstick that is bound to turn heads. Kat Von D has Echo, a satin navy blue liquid lipstick. And yes. People are wearing them! I was at Specs a few weeks ago and the cashier checking me out was wearing royal blue lipstick....and she looked GOOD wearing it too!

So...kudos to SeneGence for coming up with colors in keeping with the other prestige cosmetics. I don't know how often I would want to wear a bright turquoise LipSense, but darn it, if I do, it's a relief to know it won't be smearing all over my teeth and face.

And as for these bright colors? Hey. Go big or go home. Do it right or don't do it at all.

Yesterday my new colors finally arrived, and since I have two readers who want to see me wearing each color before they will decide if they want them, I decided a full review of every color is in order. And honestly, I have to admit I'm curious as to what I will look like wearing matte turquoise. I've been brave and worn Violet Volt, Blackberry and T.E.A.M. Wicked, but turquoise lip color? Yup, I'm VERRRRRRRY curious.

So, in this post, I will review all five colors and swatch what each one looks like in comparison to the closest contenders. Over the last week, there has been a lot of rumors circulating about true swatches, whether or not pictures are photoshopped, what they really look like. Are these colors really dupes of Volt and Wicked? Is Mod Magenta really the current version of Neutral? Want to find out before you spend your money on a color that you don't like? Keep reading, and let's begin.

To start, whenever I swatch colors, I always start from lightest to dark. And in keeping with the matte fashion, I am wearing each color WITH Matte Gloss for consistency.

First, let's look at Pop Art Pink. My first reaction when I saw the release of this color was a

combination of reactions. Party Pink? Pink Ice? Mauve Ice on steroids? It reminds me of Bubble Yum meets Twirly Curls Barbie.


The reality: It is nothing like Party Pink or Pink Ice. In fact, in comparison to those colors, Pop Art Pink is definitely more on the lavender side. It's brighter than Goddess. The finish is more matte than Fleur De Lisa. 

These tubes are the closest contenders in appearance while in the tube. Left to right: Goddess, Mauve Ice, Pop Art Pink, Kelly's Krush (retired), Peace Pink (retired) and Violette. 

On the hand, they look different of course, but Pop Art Pink is still the brightest and the most matte. 

The application was very even and smooth. Three coats in one direction gave perfect coverage. The color to me was pretty accurate of what I expected. It's a bubble gum pink color leaning more on the lavender side. The finish dries down very matte and the color applies evenly with no streaking or patching. It's not a color that I would find myself wearing because I lean more towards darker colors, but overall this is a pretty color and perfect for fans of brighter pinks and candy-toned colors. 

Mod Magenta was probably the color I was THE most excited about being that it is just up my alley. It's dark. It's rose-colored with a kick. Light colors don't traditionally look good on me, and I don't know that I can wear purple, navy and turquoise on a regular basis to work, so I ordered an extra one of this one to commission for myself. Before I got it, I envisioned a combination of Neutral meets Roseberry. 

Reality? I was wrong again. This one leaves Neutral in the dust. I don't think I have been THIS excited about a lip color in the entire time I've been a distributor, but this one, I'm keeping just for myself. 

I lined it up next to Kiss For A Cause, Fuscia (retired), Neutral (retired), Plumeria, Strawberry Shortcake and Razzberry. 

On my hand, definitely darker than the hotter pinks (Kiss For A Cause, Fuscia, Razzberry) and the pink-toned reds (Strawberry Shortcake and Plumeria). I love my Neutral, but Mod Magenta is so rich in pigment that Neutral in comparison looks, well, brown. I did not see that coming!

Edited: After this blog was published, I had a request to stripe it next to B. Ruby so here is an extra picture.

The application was very smooth and it is a beautiful ruby-colored reddish pink with no purple tones
to it or shimmer. It dried very smooth and very matte. I didn't realize until this morning that the close-up of my lips shows a little streaking, so when I use this color the next time, I will possibly touch it up after the third coat dries with a little extra on the top lips, but it is a beautiful jewel color and I am so excited to be adding a color that I really love to my collection. It reminds me of ripe raspberries in summer. 


Lilac Lacquer, despite all the excitement I read on line about it, quite frankly just looks like a lighter version of Violet Volt. I've worn Violet Volt. I got great compliments on it since I matched my outfit and makeup to it although it really did give me the appearance of eating a grape Popsicle. So my initial thought? Violet Volt, but lighter. Lavender? Smooth? Okay.

The reality: My expectation was dead-on accurate. If you like purples but Violet Volt is too intense of a purple shade, this is probably more up your alley. If you have Violet Volt and like a lighter one, this might be a good add for you. But if Violet Volt delivers all the purple goodness that you love and you don't want one lighter, this might be a tad of a waste. I didn't try layering Icicle over it, but I suspect that Violet Volt could be lightened with a coat of Icicle or a layer of Snow in between coats one and two. In other words, if Violet Volt is grape Kool Aid, Lilac Lacquer is a field of lavender. 

I did compare Lilac Lacquer to the other similar purples and also included Amethyst and Silver Violet ShadowSense for grins.

In the below pictures, I am wearing Lilac Lacquer in the one with the headband and Violet Volt in the picture where I am fully made up. 

Application-wise, Lilac Lacquer is not the easiest. I could tell in the hand swatch that it was going to be a problem when I didn't get even coverage (see how Violet Volt streaks as well?) but it was even more so problematic on the lips. I did a full three coats with Lilac Lacquer and while it was fine on my lower lip, it was patchy and had some bald spots on my upper lip. I have no doubt I will wear this color again since I felt a little more comfortable wearing this than Violet Volt (although Violet Volt WAS fun), so what I will do next time is either apply four coats or touch up the bald spots on my upper lip after the second coat before applying a final four coat. A little extra drying time would have likely helped the patchiness as well. But it's a beautiful purple for the purple girls out there. Lavender without being pink or frosty. Purple without looking like you ate a grape slush and have stained lips. Very classy, matte finish and the perfect accent to a purple eye. I noticed that it definitely made my eyes look greener, which I tend to notice happens when I wear purple makeup. 

Skyline downright just freaks me out. I will concede that part of this is that I am soon to be 43 and turquoise is what I put on my eyes, not on my lips. The color is gorgeous, no doubt, I just don't know that I want to wear it on my lips unless I am going clubbing or dressing up like a Studio 54 wannabe from the late 1970s. But....that aside, let's give it a try.

The reality: Definitely NOT as shocking or crazy as I expected. It dried down to more of a dark blue turquoise, not the bright shocking Caribbean ocean blue turquoise I expected. I think with some great blended shadows, maybe some glitter, some dark turquoise liner, and bronzer and this could be a fantastic color for going out at night. I think this would also be an amazing color to layer with, and since you can use LipSense for face makeup, you could really create some amazing face art with it. 

I lined it up next to Granite ShadowSense, Ocean EyeSense, T.E.A.M. Wicked, Denim ShadowSense and Light Sapphire ShadowSense which is a retired eye color. 

And to show the comparisons? Skyline is definitely a richer blue than T.E.A.M. Wicked and has more green in it than Ocean EyeSense. There is no glitter or shimmer; it is a completely matte finish. 

And the application ease was perfect. It applied very smooth, no streaking, no bald patches. The formula is very good. 

And lastly, Midnight Muse....my initial perception of this color was a matte version of T.E.A.M. Wicked minus the aqua sparkles. Too similar in shade to Blackberry. I'm not scared to try it on, especially since I rather like Wicked, but.....okay, let's see.

The reality: Definitely not Blackberry. Definitely not T.E.A.M. Wicked. T.E.A.M. Wicked is more shimmery, glittery. This is matte navy blue. Smooth, blended blueberry puree. No purple, no eggplant, no black. Perfectly smooth application with no streaking, patching or unevenness. If you wanted a dark blue color, this is your color. 

I lined it up next to the blues and blacks of the 
SeneGence collection including Onyx ShadowSense and Blackberry. If you have longed for a blue lip color that resembles Denim ShadowSense, your wish has been granted. 

The application was very smooth. Three coats was a perfect application. It's a very striking color but I personally like it better than Blackberry because it has more depth to it without looking like you colored in your lips with a black Sharpie marker. I could see this looking totally bad ASS with a smoky eye and navy blue eyeliner and high-volume mascara. Ready to rock it out at a concert or an elegant night out with a dark blue dress? This is your color. 

So there you have it. There are the five colors of the Prism of Colors Collection. Cool, happening and different from anything right now that is carried by SeneGence. I currently have all five colors in stock and they are ready to be shipped out immediately. I am having a special in March with free shipping, so for $25, YOUR FAVORITE COLOR of this collection can be yours and in your hand in short order. 

Make it a wonderful day and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Choosing the right foundation: where to begin?

If you are one of those women who has perfectly blemish-free skin and doesn't need to wear any base makeup to even out her complexion, I envy you...not only because I'm jealous, but because I know how that feels. When I was younger in my twenties, I used finishing powder only, and then moved occasionally into wearing Bare Minerals mineral foundation (remember, tap, tap, swirl, swirl?) and then graduated about five years ago into BB creams and color correcting age serums. 

Unfortunately, to quote Miss Truvy, time marches on and eventually you realize it's marching across your face. Even though I do daily upkeep on my face with skin care and night treatments and wear sunscreen during the day and make sure I'm wearing a hat at the pool and beach, the reality is that I didn't always do that and sun damage is irreversible. All you can do is minimize the appearance by improving your skin's moisture content, increasing elasticity and diminishing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and blemishes. I see a dermatologist once a year who drains any clogged oil pores that I have that won't drain on their own, I put cold skin masks on after a day in the sun to help reduce redness, and I use a slew of treatments during the week (not all at once) that each have their own purpose in my daily upkeep. I try not to fall asleep with makeup on, and I do my best to stay out of the sun. 

When I first became a distributor for SeneGence, I still had a lot of non-SeneGence makeup (and still do). I have been using our MakeSense foundation about half and half but have really been trying to use up my old foundation which is it CC+ full coverage serum. It is great but over the last month I have noticed that it's starting to have a not-so-fresh smell, and it's not blending into my nose as well as it used to. Yup, time to chuck it and start over. All makeup has an expiration date and my beloved CC+ has hit the date on the milk carton. 

SeneGence offers three full-face makeup products, although technically one could be considered just part of our skin care line. Really, ALL of our foundation is considered skin care since it contains SenePlex, our anti-aging complex which works to increase collagen content in your skin, diminish wrinkles and lines and contains blockers that are similar to sunscreen with an SPF of 15. Please note that there is no sunscreen in our foundation, but the protection that it offers is similar to foundation. 

Three choices:

1) Color-Correcting Tinted Moisturizer (CCTM) is available in Light and Medium. This is exactly what it sounds like; it is a moisturizer that you can use on your skin that has some makeup in it so you ARE getting some coverage and evening out, but it is not a full-on makeup and is more moisturizing than MakeSense or AAA (see below). I have used this a lot in the summers when I want some coverage but it's really hot out and especially in the winters when I'm going to be outside and the wind is blowing. It helps a lot with protecting my skin against windburn. You can also use it under your foundation as a moisturizer and primer. There is a Dark color in the works but right now all that is available is Light and Medium. My recommendation is that if you want this but feel like Medium is too light is either to use this under your foundation or mix it with your foundation if MakeSense is too light or doesn't have enough moisture. Retail price: $45.

2) Regular MakeSense is a traditional foundation but fortified with skin care and SenePlex. It is a partial coverage (not full coverage) and is oil-free. Retail price: $50. This formula is not available in every shade; there are some like Adobe and Coffee and Truffle that are not available in MakeSense. 

3) Advanced Anti-Aging is the top of the line foundation which is our regular MakeSense but heightened with more SenePlex and also has oil added to it. However, the oil that is added to it is not a great amount. My skin has the consistency of an oil slick and AAA is my choice of foundations because the oil thickens the foundation and provides a more full-coverage foundation and more moisturization plus additional protection from the sun. Most women experience a surge of dryness in their skin as they get older (it's part of life) and we need extra moisturizer to help our face maintain its smoothness and elasticity. Every color manufactured by SeneGence comes in the AAA formula from Porcelain to Truffle. Retail price: $60. 

One is not better than the other. Each formula has their place and everyone's skin and makeup preferences is different. Once you have thought about what you are looking for in a makeup, make your decision. For me, I like a medium to full coverage that will even out my complexion and give me a smooth even canvas to start with when I put my makeup on. Skin care during the day while I wear it and sun protection is a HUGE perk. So for me, AAA is my choice. 

Next decision: What color is best for you? 

Fortunately, MakeSense and AAA MakeSense are not full coverage so they can be used by women who have varying skin tones. I can generally wear about six of our shades with no problem; it is just a matter of narrowing down the shade that is the most flattering to my skin tone. If you aren't a foundation wearer, I normally would suggest to start with color that is close to your skin tone and try it on your hand to see if the effect is what you are looking for. Again, that goes back to what you are looking for in a makeup. Are you looking for something the same color as your skin? Lighter? Darker? There are no wrong answers. The other starting point is to start with a foundation that you are currently using and are comfortable with and go from there. 

You can see that I started by putting CC+ Light on a white plate and striping the foundations that I am comfortable using next to it. Then I did the same thing with my hand. They look quite different on a white porcelain plate and my tan hand, but then again, that's the point. 

I narrowed the colors down to Suede and Almond, both AAA. Both are my testers which is why Almond is partially used; I have tested this color on many people and have used it a few times myself. The first time I used it, I wasn't a fan, but I blame application on my part. I used a foundation sponge because that is all I had with me and I usually use a brush. This picture was also taken in stark fluorescent lighting and I was wearing Berry which made my face look, well, PALE. 

Then I applied both on my face half and half. I actually started on the Suede side with the regular MakeSense and then realized it wasn't full coverage enough so I applied AAA over it. 

Then I applied Suede over the Almond so I had a full Suede face. 

And then washed my face and started over with Almond. 

The winner? Almond. 

My observations:

1) Although the Suede is very, very close to the skin tone of my face, it's darker than my neck color which is resulting in a line on my jaw. When I wear makeup, it's obvious that I am wearing it since I prefer colorful eye colors and bright lip shades, but when it comes to my base foundation, I don't want it to look like I am wearing anything. Foundation should accentuate your natural color, not stand out stark on your face like clown-makeup would. 
2) The Suede almost gives my skin an artificial tan. It's not unattractive, but I like to wear blush and bronzers, which would not be necessary with this color.
3) The Almond gives my skin a peaches and cream look and evens out the shadows and blemishes in a consistent way. It also blended into my nose well and covered the redness around my nose that is perpetually there plus covered my glasses marks on the sides of my nose. 
4) Overall, I just liked my face better with Almond than Suede. It's going to be a better blank canvas for my makeup application.

So there you go! That's how I do it! If you are able to go through this process, that's what I would recommend, but if you are in a store or at a location where this full process is not feasible, bring your existing foundation with you and stripe it on your hand next to the ones that are close. Once you find the one that you think is the best match, rub a little on your jaw next to your neckline to see how close it is from the tester bottle at the store. You might also try dotting a bit on your forehead and nose to see if it's close. Since foundation testers are not used around eyes or lips, you're probably safe just dotting a little bit from the tester, although I'd clean the bottle outside before squeezing some out first. And make sure to wash your hands afterwards or use a foundation sponge so you don't get any on your hands. 

I will admit that I don't have a lot of experience with a vast number of foundations. When I was in high school, I dabbled with Cover Girl. Then I wore Bare Minerals mineral foundation for about ten years, switched to Too Faced Cocoa Powder Foundation and then Born This Way Foundation, and I have used the it CC+ serum for the last year alternating with various shades and formulas of the SeneGence foundation line from the CCTM to the AAA. Overall, I really like our foundation. It blends smoothly, feels light on the skin, has a velvety texture (which is what I loved about the Cocoa Powder Foundation from Too Faced), and blends well with bronzers and blushes. When I have used it for events where I am going to be outside, it doesn't melt off my face like others I have tried. I do use a brush to apply it since that is the most even way for me to get it on my face. I have tried sponges but I don't have a light enough hand to do that, and I don't care for using my fingers to do it for the same reason. What appeals to me about MakeSense and the AAA formula is the anti-aging qualities, the blocker that is similar to sunscreen and the fact that it is good for your skin. 

I'd love to help you with a good foundation match if you are ready to switch to SeneGence. All I need is a good close-up, the foundation that you are currently using if you are using it, your skin type and a little information on what you do and don't like about what you are currently using, what you want in a foundation, etcetera. If it's not the right shade or you're not satisfied with the product, I will be happy to honor a refund or an exchange for a year after purchase. 

Have a great day and thanks for reading along!