What’s In My Cosmetic Bag Today?

A friend of mine once said, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, then everything will look like a nail.” Well, if you don’t have the right make-up brushes, it really doesn’t matter how fabulous your cosmetics are–you’ll have difficulty applying them, and subsequently looking fabulous in them.

That’s why I swear by my Bobbie Brown make-up brushes. The Bronzer Brush is fabulous for applying not just bronzer but a light dusting of powder to even out skin tone. The Blush brush has a curved tip so you can apply just to the area you want. The Eyebrow Brush, a personal favorite of mine, is stiffer bristled and angled so I can swoosh on a perfect arc with Bobbie’s eye shadow (no pencils for me). And the Lip Brush is small and pointed to make a cupid’s bow or fill in a thin upper lip.

These brushes aren’t cheap, but are well worth the investment. I’ve had mine for over 10 years, and with a weekly wash and air dry, they hold up like champs. And yes, you should wash your brushes every week or they become nasty repositories for germs and bacteria, which you so do not want on your face. So, wash those bad boys every week at night before you go to bed, gently squeeze them out, and let them air dry overnight–and you’ll be good to go the next day.

Test Drive: Exfoliants, Part 2

This morning, I took Clinique‘s Exfoliant out for a spin. At $19.50 a tube, it sits in my price range sweet spot, but how would it perform?

It has a grainy and creamy texture, so that I didn’t feel like I was stripping my skin of moisture while I was sloughing off dead cells. It passed the sniff test–no odor. And it had a good, tingling feel as I scrubbed about my face with gentle fingers (and upward strokes, ladies, always upward strokes).

Because of its creamy consistency, I had to use a washcloth to remove all traces, but I was quite pleased with the result–skin that looked and felt clean and moist. The best exfoliants should contain a goodly amount of moisturizer so you don’t feel like you’ve used a belt sander on your face when you’re done. I didn’t really need to use moisturizer, except that I wanted SPF protection, so on it went.

This one is a definite keeper!

BONUS REVIEW: I also trotted out Bobbie Brown‘s Extra Eye Repair Cream, for which I had received several samples. The literature promises that it will reduce puffiness, dark circles, lines, and wrinkles. Of course, multiple applications over time are needed to prove such claims, but I loved the thick consistency, like clotted cream. And I thought it did help reduce puffiness after a few hours perusal. This is a definite maybe–I have enough samples to judiciously last me a couple of weeks, so I’ll see how continued applications help. At $69 for a half ounce, I want better proof of results.